


Transitory

by Musashden



Category: Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Anal Sex, Dominatrix, Drug Use, F/M, Idealogically differences, Multi, Oral Sex, Other, Power Play, Transgender
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-27
Updated: 2016-12-30
Packaged: 2017-12-24 20:44:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 66,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/944453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musashden/pseuds/Musashden
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daryl knew everything was temporary. Anger, hate, promises, sex, drugs and even love. Nothing lasted forever especially after the world ended. So he tries to stay indifferent, tries to keep away. But this is strange and his curiosity will not be sated until he figures out what it is about her that sets him on edge. Transgender-characters and humorous inner thoughts. Enjoy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Yup yup I came up with yet another WD OC after playing Survival Instinct. For more information on my OC visit my DA page. Just like Contigo - this story follows the TV series and I might actually have them combine down the line. For now, enjoy :)

Daryl didn't know her name. He didn't know anyone in camp. He and Merle were making plans to leave them in a few days – why bother getting to know these walking lunch boxes. Between the lot of them he figured only about two would survive. It wouldn't be that nagging former housewife of her pansy-ass kid. The ex-cop might make it if he could pull his face from her pussy. But for the most part they were a bunch of over weight, suburban bleeding-hearts that were waiting for 'normal' to come back. Daryl knew that wasn't happening. More and more people were being brought into camp everyday and she had arrived just like any other shivering, half-wit. But there was something off about her – it set him on edge that he couldn't figure it out. Not that Daryl cared – it was something to ponder while he whittled bolts and waited for his brother to 'say the word'.

Merle had been naming all the women by the cup sizes and giving them a grade to match. The housewife was a solid B. The spic with two kids was a C minus because of her color. The two blond sisters… well they were a 'double D plus'. Merle had made a game of watching them bounce around camp. The younger one would smile at them but the older one was a total bitch. Taking herself too seriously and demanding that everyone else do the same.

"Fuck her." Daryl mumbled when she shot them a dirty look. She knew what they were doing. Merle just smiled.

"I'd love to…" He howled the last part of his sentence. They both frowned when the ex-cop - who wore his pants to high - gave them a look.

"Hey what do ya give those?" Daryl said and nodded to one of the new members of the camp.

"A second go at puberty – I think she failed." Merle said. "Plus she looks like a chink – 'A-minus'." Daryl started calling her that in his head and it was quite the astute nickname. At first he thought she was underage but then he heard her tell one of the blond sisters that she was actually twenty-five. Her breasts – if they could be called that – were in fact an A-cup. Barely peaking the front of her shirt at all. For such a tiny thing she did have a nice round ass and thighs so Merle bumped her up to a solid A after a day or two. Ironically Daryl had learned her name after that. And that was only because the older blond sister called her:

"Bo! Can you help us with the laundry?" Andrea called.

"Sure, what do I have to do?" Daryl looked up when he heard her voice. It was deep, distinctive even if you only heard it once. It's like God was originally planning to make her a boy but then changed his mind at the last minute. She took the empty basket from Andrea and got simple instructions before she went about collecting dirty clothes. She hit up the families with young children first, then the men that protected the camp – she winced a bit when they deposited their blood and sweat stained shirts and pants. And last but not least she walked up to Daryl – not knowing that he and Merle did their own 'washing' so as not to be dependent on anyone. "Got any dirty clothes?" she asked. As she stood there Daryl suddenly realized he could smell himself. He dropped his eyes to the ground when she just continued to look at him expectantly.

"Well ain't you sweet." Merle said as he came out their tent with a few shirts and pants in his hand. "Have fun darlin' and no starch on the undies." She laughed at his joke and turned to leave now that her basket was full. Merle could always be counted on to take things too far. Daryl felt his hand breeze past his head and looked up just in time to see it connect his Bo's ass. Merle hissed at the sound it made and grinned wide when she turned to him.

"Don't fucking touch me!" She screamed and Daryl was surprised at how high pitched she got. Shane was over there in a second – scowling at them disapprovingly.

"Hey, thought we talked about you keeping your hands to yourself there." Shane said before he looked down at Daryl.

"I didn't do nothing." He said automatically. It had been something he got in the habit of doing since he was young and Merle did something that got them both in trouble.

"Just an appreciative gesture there, officer." Merle said before he winked at Bo. She just walked off when Andrea called for her. Shane was not satisfied by his bullshit answer but 'the housewife' called for him and he had no choice but to leave them.

"We are gonna have words later." He warned.

"I look forward to it." Daryl said sarcastically. Shane walked off and Merle sat down beside him on the log he had rolled in front of their little fire pit. "Tell me it was worth having to put up with that." He looked at Merle and he was smiling.

"Well worth it. She's got the ass of a twelve year old." Merle said. "I'm upgrading her to 'A plus'." Daryl laughed. He didn't really like catching heat for Merle's actions and he damn sure didn't like how she looked at him from then on – like he was just some gross, hillbilly pervert. Daryl was those things – but he hadn't laid a hand on her so who was she to judge.

Daryl shrugged it off. They'd be leaving soon plus she'd probably get eaten. Either way was good for him. Unfortunately things never went as planned. The plan was to take what they could, get in the truck and leave those losers before the walkers came and had a buffet. But somewhere along the way he and Merle got separately. The big gorilla had insisted on going into town with the Asian guy, the spic, the skinny black 'B-cups' and Blond double D to get one last go at anything in the city. He'd have a shot to get laid and get their stuff too. And Daryl almost stopped him when he learned that the other black guy was going but he went hunting instead to 'keep up appearances'.

Everything went to hell to say the least. The new bastard – another fucking cop - went with him to get Merle off the roof but he was already gone – son of a bitch cut his hand off and stole their truck. When they got back to camp it was chaos. And nearly everyone was dead or bitten. Daryl couldn't believe how quickly things spiraled out of control. Without Merle there was no plan, so he rolled with what was left of the group.

\----

Much to Daryl's chagrin Carol, Bo, Andrea and the housewife…Lori was her name – yeah all those useless bitches survived. Now that Lori had her annoying husband back and her whiny son, Shane was immediately booted out of his position of power. Forced to play second fiddle to the guy whose wife he had been fucking for two months. They weren't very good at hiding it. Or at least not to Daryl, they had gotten busy right under where he set up to get a hunting view of the valley. Of course they didn't see him – Shane was quick to flip her on her stomach and get in and out. After Shane lost Lori Daryl thought for sure he'd go for Andrea or Bo. Hell even Carol is he was desperate enough. Only time would tell.

After their night at the CDC they were on the road again and it wasn't until they were setting up at the Greene farm that he even talked to anyone for more than two seconds. "I'm sorry about your brother – messed up how you couldn't find him." Bo said as she approached him on the side porch. He looked at her for a long beat before he snorted. He hated it when people that didn't know the person that died said how sorry they were that they had passed away.

"You're not sorry." He said – matter of fact.

"No, really I am. Burly jerks like him are totally my type." She insisted sarcastically. He smirked for a second. "Plus we could use someone with his skills. Especially now that little Sophia is lost out there."

"True." Daryl agreed. They were all relying solely on his tracking skills to find her. He didn't have the time or patience to teach them. And if he were being brutally honest he didn't think it would do them any good. Glenn maybe, but he was so dumb struck by the farmer's daughter that unless he could hunt with his dick he was useless. Rick was only half involved - so concerned with Carl's injury along with everyone else.

"So I guess you're stuck with us. Without him you're not leaving?"

"What makes you think we were leaving?" he asked.

"I have ears. And eyes. And I'm not totally self absorbed." She shrugged.

"No?"

"Well I'm about 50% self absorbed – 50% observant. Which is enough to know when two clumsy, drug addled rednecks are scheming something."

"Them odds got you this far…" he said – ignoring her jab. She suddenly looked towards the yard. Most of it was dark – the light from the house only reached a few feet and the porch railings cast weird shadows along the grass. He hopped up – ready to kill whatever got her attention. "What is it?" She pointed and smiled.

"Just a bunny." She sighed in relief. "Aww it's so cute-Ah!" She yelped and clutched her shirt when Daryl nailed it with an arrow.

"Good eye." He said before he jumped over the railing to retrieve it. Her horrified expression going completely unnoticed.

\----

Daryl kind of liked Bo… kind of. She wasn't like the other women – she didn't find shit to be pissed about. Sometimes he wondered if they realized there was other stuff to worry about other than laundry and getting shampoo. Lori was still teaching Carl math for God's sake and refused to let him carry and learn about guns. It was like she wanted him to die. He had witnessed her inability to decide whether Herschel should save him. If Carl had known she was considering letting him die of internal bleeding he'd be so done with her. She and Andrea were driving Shane crazy. Daryl rolled his eyes when they came back from a search, grinning and blushed and smelling of sweat and sex. It had been so disgustingly obvious – much like Lori's jealousy that Shane had fucked anyone else but her.

Carol was keeping optimistic about 10% of the time. The other times she was spiraling through emotions and sobbing in her tent. Daryl felt bad for her, she was a sweet woman. She didn't deserve such a shitty life. Abusive husband, the end of the world coming upon her so suddenly that she had no survival training. Her little girl probably dead and gone forever. Rick was kind of cruel to keep them looking but it gave Daryl something to do other than sit around the farm. Everyone was going crazy...

Bo seemed to notice it too and she stayed out of the house and away from camp as much as she could. Picking up her axe and taking it for long, slow walks around the massive property.

"You don't have to follow me like that." She said and looked over her shoulder at him.

"Shane put me on sentry…I'm just—"

"Why don't you walk beside me?" she asked and gestured to the space next to her. He just shifted and looked at the ground. "It's kind of condescending how you keep double checking what I've already checked."

"What?"

"You think cause I'm a woman that I can't protect the camp? You're really being a dick."

"What you say to me?" He asked. His face heated up when she started giggling.

"You're easy." She chuckled. "I was just messing with you Daryl. Gotta have a little fun before we die, right?"

"You're crazy."

"Like you're so sound of mind." She quipped. He glared at her – she didn't give a damn what she said to him. He wasn't gonna stand for that shit.

"Keep it up Bo-peep." He warned and gave her his best 'try me' look. She ignored him.


	2. Chapter 2

Bo was the lesser of two evils as far as Daryl was concerned. When it came to dealing with the other people or dealing with her he chose her. She really did have good sight. He'd take her hunting and catch twice as many animals as he did without her – though he'd never admit it out loud. The only part of the hunt that she didn't like was the killing aspect. She'd tap his shoulder excitedly when she spotted an animal and squeal when he made a particularly difficult shot. But then she'd be sad about the animal dying. They were innocent and 'super cuddly' in her opinion. Daryl started using that phrase after he ate them. He'd burp and say "Dinner was super cuddly." Bo would give him the finger.

Daryl actually liked her though he wasn't sure why. Merle's nickname for her had been spot on. In a sane world she'd be at the bottom of the list of people he wanted to fuck. She was some kind of weird Asian breed that she assured him was not the same as Glenn. And then she got pissed because he called it a 'breed' instead of a 'race' and just like that he fucked up two weeks worth of good graces. The yellow day-lily he gave her to apologize for it made her break out in little, itchy, red bumps and she spent the day with her arm in a bucket soaking the chiggers out of her skin. He got her another one and made sure it was free of parasitic bugs before giving it to her.

"Daryl you're sweet." She said as she tentatively held the flower.

"Oh yeah?" He followed her as she backed up to a tree. She gave him this look – chin tucked to her chest, eyes dark and focused through short lashes. She was cute and that was so hard for him to understand. Every now and then he'd pick up a Playboy with different color women in it but his 'type' had always been blondes or red heads with freckles and green eyes. Bo had a little round beauty mark between her right eye and her eye brow – no freckles. Her dark hair was long but it was bone straight – no curls or light color to speak of. And her skin had a tint to it – a color that told him her nipples would be brown instead of pink. But if there was anything those playboys taught him was that no matter the skin color pussy was still pussy.

Bo bit her bottom lip when he invaded her personal space. Just one big awkward step forward and he was too close for comfort. She actually wasn't that much shorter than him – maybe an inch or two. A fantasy about stilettos with lots of straps and buckets raced through his head for a second. He felt itchy, like his hands were sticky even though he knew they weren't.

'Shit, what are you doing?' he thought when he couldn't get himself to move again. Bo just stared at him expectantly and he choked. He couldn't even think of something cheesy to say – so he just stood there and winced a little at the itch on his arm that he desperately wanted to scratch just to have something to do other than breathe into her face the way he was. God, if she thought he was some creepy, Sling-blade wannabe before she probably thought he was going to skin her and make a suit out of her now. He flinched when she moved. And it wasn't just a little flinch either. He knocked her hand with his elbow as she reached for him. Bo just smiled and moved slower. The hair on his arms stood on end when she touched him. He fidgeted as she got closer and pressed herself flush against him. "Mmm…titties." He mumbled when he felt her hard nipples through both their shirts.

"What?" She asked. When she moved her mouth her bottom lip brushed his and he dove in. He winced when he knocked their foreheads together. "Ow…" She tilted her head and he went for it again. He didn't know how to be tentative – he shoved his tongue in her mouth and practically drooled all over her when she returned his enthusiasm. There was no hesitant licks or teasing pecks. The kiss was not sweet - he noticed with some mirth that they both had bad breath. He was claiming her with it. Instead of hiding his desire he let it out and let her know by fucking her mouth with his tongue that he wanted her – probably not now against the tree but damn it would be nice to get his dick wet. Maybe for not just get a good grope of her tits…

Bo stopped him when he reached under her shirt. She pulled away from his mouth and he followed her back and kissed her again for a second before she pushed him back more aggressively. She grabbed his vest and turned them around so he had his back to the tree. "What're you doing?" he asked – smiling a little despite his nervousness. She kissed him but pulled away right when he leaned into it. His tongue hit the tip of her nose instead of her lips.

"Stay." She ordered before she dropped to her knees.

"Shit." He huffed. She had his zipper down and her long fingers around his dick before he could ever register the feeling. Sweat got in his eyes – it was suddenly a million degrees outside as she worked him out his fly. She popped the button too.

Daryl felt delirious – his head drowning in a sudden tidal wave of sensation. He knew he didn't smell good – she had to have noticed it but she just got closer and closer as she slowly stroked him. She opened her mouth and he watched himself disappear between her soft lips. Despite the fact that he probably tasted like piss and dirt she moaned and swallowed him until her face was pressed into his pubes. He could see the crack of her ass peeking out the top of her jeans when she leaned forward and the feel of her throat around his dick was suddenly too much. He came in two seconds and she pulled back like she had been burned. Her eyes went wide once he was free of her mouth and she gagged loudly as she spit his cum all over the ground between them.

Daryl zipped himself up quickly and bolted. Not really running but getting away from the scene as fast as he could. "Daryl!" she called after him but he just kept going. Ignoring how annoyed she sounded and how ashamed he was of himself.

\----

The next day Bo was incapacitated by a migraine. Daryl was just glad he didn't have to see or talk to her for a while. He avoided her like the plague last night after what they did in the woods. And it felt like everyone somehow knew about it. But Shane was just teasing him about all the time he spent with Bo – he couldn't possibly know. Dale probably did because he knew everything. And Daryl had no poker face for when people asked him about her. He still felt a little bad when he happened by her tent and heard her whimpering something to Carol. The other woman came out and Daryl nodded for her to slow up on her way to the well.

"What's wrong with her now?" he asked.

"It's her headache, she can't keep anything down and she can't take any medication on an empty stomach." She said. He let her go but stood there for a second before he went to his tent. He fished through his bags to find the bottle of Oxycontin he had squirreled away for himself before he handed the other meds over to Herschel. He shook out two pills and used the butt of his knife to crush it up on the cover of a book. He didn't stop until it was a fine dust. He then walked back to Bo's tent. Keeping the powdered pill from blowing away by cupping his hand over it. He was thankful that Carol hadn't returned yet but he didn't see Shane watching his odd actions from where he was putting something in his car. He entered Bo's tent and nudged her with his foot.

"Bo… Bo wake up." He said quietly. She groaned and turned over. He smirked seeing the sleeping mask over her eyes. The word 'Bitchy' scrawled across it in bedazzled jewels. How very like her to have something like that.

"Daryl? Ow…" she whined as she lifted one side of the mask.

"Here." He pulled her up when he saw she was having a little trouble. He looked around quickly before he tore a piece of paper from a notebook by her pillow. He rolled it into a tight tube and gave it to her. "Snort this."

"I have a migraine Daryl. Cocaine isn't going to help me." She said as she squinted at the white fragments on his book.

"It's oxy." He said before he put the paper tube in her hand. "It'll make you forget you have a head let alone a pain in it. Snort." She finally gripped it and leaned over. She went up one nostril then the other. Making a face when the action of smelling anything made her headache momentarily worse.

"When will it…" She trailed off and sprawled back on her cot. It only took about thirty seconds to knock her out. For a second he worried if her gave her too much – she only weighed a hundred pounds, maybe one-fifteen.

"20 milligrams a pill…not long." He said before he pulled her mask back down and left her tent. He was surprised to see Shane waiting for him.

"She feeling better?" Shane asked.

"Quiet. She's sleeping." Daryl said before he walked off.

\----

"Daryl's got healing hands huh?" Shane asked and Daryl glared at how loudly he said it over dinner. They were out around the campfire that night. The Greene family was in the house - not really in the mood for their company. Bo just looked at him confused.

"Carol was looking after me yesterday." She corrected him.

"Daryl was on call." Shane joked. "You seemed a lot better after he left your tent."

"Just checked on her is all." Daryl said before he finished eating. He got away as fast as he could before anyone could comment on his gesture of kindness. Later on that night Bo came to his tent. He wasn't inside but she spotted him not to far away – aimlessly strolling in a nearby field. "How's the melon?"

"Perfect. It's like my migraine didn't even happen…I've never recovered in a day like that." She said. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it." He said. There was a long silence between them and he finally glanced at her when she didn't leave. "What?"

"Just wondering if you were going to explain why you ran off like a little bitch after jizzing down my throat." She said with slight shrug.

"You shut your mou—"

"By the way you taste like onions and salt – you should eat more of those carrots and less squirrel." She interrupted. "If I didn't know it was my hormone pills that gave me the migraine I could swear it was how nasty you taste."

"Woman you are…" He advanced on her but he trailed off when he saw the smirk on her face. She was fucking with him again. Pushing his buttons until he went off and started talking to her. He wouldn't play her game. "If I'm so terrible why you here?"

"Cause I'm not going to let you off that easy." She said and crossed her arms. "I like you Daryl. God only knows why but I do despite the fact you're a six foot pile of stink with greasy hair an inexplicable insecurity issue it would take two lifetimes to fix." She took a deep breath.

"You said you were taking hormone pills…what for? What's wrong with you?" He asked – purposely changing the subject away from his 'quick tendencies'.

"Well… because of the migraine I have to stop taking them or I could get a blood clot and die." She rambled off. She looked at him for a second before she made it a point to look everywhere but at him. "This is so much harder than I thought it would be."

"What is?"

"I have to tell you something. Before we take this any further."

"This? What is this?" He asked. She gave him the 'stop being an asshole and listen' look and he crossed his arms. "Well what ever it is it can't be that serious. Unless you used to be a man, I think I can handle it." Daryl noticed the way she was looking at him. Like she was shocked and in complete and utter disbelief over what he just said. "You're shitting me." Bo suddenly turned around and headed for her tent. She yelped when Daryl grabbed her – she wasn't expecting him to and he turned her around and put her back to a tree.

"Let go."

"Nah-unh. You can't just say something like that and then not answer me." He said in a hushed tone. He wondered for a moment if this was what he couldn't put his finger on. Why she stood out from the other females in the group. Why she was so easy to hang around. He didn't realize he was breathing heard until he heard himself. She looked terrified of him at the moment and despite her better judgment she started talking.

"Before all of this happened I was two days away from getting my final surgery." She said – so low he almost didn't hear her over the crickets. He suddenly let go of her and took a few steps back.

"So you still have it?!" He asked before he looked down at her crotch. He had seen her in tight jeans and shorts. She had on a pair of leggings painted to look like denim right now. He lifted her shirt for a second and there was no indication that she had anything other than a vagina – there never had been. She squatted to pee for god's sake – though he'd never admit out loud that he had stood there and watched her do it.

"Have what?" She asked as she snatched her shirt out of his grip. "My dick? Yes, Daryl. I already had my jaw and nose softened. Hell I've been wearing a waist trainer since I was thirteen. I had been done with everything – the final operation would've just been to invert it. Took me ten years to get the nerve to do it and even then I was second guessing it..." Daryl looked like he was going to be sick for a second.

"Jesus." He sighed. "What were you hoping would happen between us?"

"Sex." She answered with a shrug. "Honestly isn't that what everyone wants now a days. Don't know about you but when I get away from those dead bastards intact all I want to do is fuck."

"Now is not the time to be a smart ass."

"I'm not. That's what I really want but I'd rather tell you this now than when you have your hand down my panties for the first time." She said. Daryl had to admit if she had never told him he'd still think she was a real woman. No one else in the group knew – how could they? But now that he looked at her… her arms were a little more masculine. Her long hair hid the thickness of her neck and when she swallowed he could see the smallest Adam's apple bob down for a second. Asians were a petite people anyway - she'd probably get mistaken for a girl even if she didn't have breasts and dress like one.

Daryl could not even begin to think about sex right now. It skittered across his mind when she mentioned her panties. He wondered what kind she had on right now. Despite his aversion he could feel himself getting erect. He rolled his eyes a little. His body not catching up with his brain – it still thought of Bo as a girl and that meant a girl wanted to have sex with him. "Do you want me to leave?" Bo asked.

"No." His dick answered for him – he didn't know what he wanted her to do. He didn't know what to do with himself. He could suddenly hear how his brother would react – saying he always knew Daryl was a faggot. How he was so dumb he couldn't tell the difference between a real girl and a fake one.

"Do you want to see it?" Her question shattered his inner turmoil.

"No!" he said louder than he meant to and she chuckled. She was messing with him again.

"Sorry, most guys want to see it." She said. "Then they do that quiet bit and that's usually my cue to run."

"How many people have you been showing your dick to?" He asked and it was without a doubt the oddest question he had ever asked anyone.

"We're getting off topic." She skirted the question. "You don't want me to go. What do you want me to do?"

"I'm tired." He answered. It showed on his face and she glanced at his tent. "I'm gonna go to sleep."

"Okay…" She hummed. He started towards his tent and wearily crawled inside.

"Get in here!" She jumped a little when he called for her. She walked up to his tent just as he was putting his boots outside. "Bout time – bugs are getting in." She snorted and looked over her shoulder at her own tent before bending down to go inside. He reached around her to zip the flap.

"Wanna make out?" She asked and reached to touch him. He stopped her.

"Sleep. You know what that is don't you?" He growled before sprawled out on his sleeping bag.


	3. Transitory page 3

Daryl was not a very attractive man. Bo thought he might have been at one point in his life. When he hit puberty he was probably a little heart breaker – especially with those blue eyes and that deep voice. But after some hard living, hard drinking and what she assumed was a pretty serious oxycontin addiction Daryl was looking a little worse for wear. She blamed half his haggard appearance on the end of the world. He had bags under his eyes. She could see where his smile lines and brow creases were even though his face was relaxed. Oddly enough he didn’t look that old. If she had to guess he was only about…forty. No, a little younger than that cause Rick and Lori seemed forty. Bo licked her thumb and reached to wipe away a smudge of dirt on his cheek. He woke so violently that she jumped back. 

“What’s happening?” He whispered. With everything so quiet around camp a pin dropping would be a loud noise

“It’s just me.” She said quickly. He looked at her for a moment before he lay back down. 

“What are you doing?” 

“You told me to stay last night—“

“No I meant just now.” He said. He tipped his head back to look out the little mesh window of the tent. The sky was just starting to light up. “It’s early.” 

“I know. I woke up…I was just watching you sleep.” 

“That’s creepy.” He said and cleared his throat. He flinched when she came back to lie beside him. He closed his eyes for a few minutes before he opened them again. He looked at her without turning his head and she was still studying his face. “What is it?”

“I think under all this dirt is a moderately okay looking guy.” She said and wiped her moist thumb down his cheek. He didn’t flinch but she could see how uncomfortable he was with the contact. Dealing with Daryl was like dealing with two different people. One day he was attacking her mouth in the woods and the next he was blushing down his neck from being close. “What did you used to do…before all this?” she asked. 

“What’s it matter?” He answered her question with a question.

“I think…we should just get to know each other. Isn’t that what normal people do? They exchange a few pleasantries before they fuck.”

“You say that like you’re not sure yourself.” He said. She looked down. “What’s it matter? And who says I’m fucking you? Maybe I came to my senses while I was asleep.” 

“Never met a man that doesn’t want free pussy but suit yourself.” She said as she moved to leave. 

“Y’know the way you said that makes me believe you actually have—“ 

“Finish that sentence and I’ll cut you.” Bo warned. Daryl closed his mouth and they stared at each other for a long moment. 

“I’m not a faggot.” He blurted out

“Nobody ever said you were.” Bo said. 

“…What we did…I…that was before I knew.” He said before he nodded towards her crotch. She shut the flap and zipped it. Daryl tensed – the action making him feel trapped even though they were in a tent. But it was the look she gave him. Not even a glare just a look that told him he had better listen and listen good. 

“Let me make this clear to you.” She started – keeping her voice low. Even is someone came by they wouldn’t be able to make out what she was saying to him. “I am a woman. I am NOT a gay man. I am not a man with breasts. I am not a chick with a dick. I am a woman. Do I make myself clear?” He knew she wasn’t really asking.

“Yes, ma’am.” He answered anyway. 

“You’re not gay for liking it when I suck your dick.” She sat down. “And I’m not gay for wanted to suck your dick. And why is that?” 

“Cause you’re a woman.” Daryl answered. 

“Good boy.” She sat down and let go of the flap zipper. “I’ll go first to help you relax. Once you know more about me you’ll stop looking at me like I want to butt-fuck you.” Daryl just snorted. “My full name is Bo Casina.” 

“Wha—“ He started to ask but bit his lip. She could read his wide-eyed expression. 

“You want to know what my name was when I was a boy.” She said. “It was the same. Bo is unisex.” He shrugged. “I was born in Manilla.” He lifted an eyebrow. “The Philippines.” Daryl looked confused. “It’s south of China. It’s an Asian country – mostly. Anyway, my mother raised me there until I was about twelve – we moved to California. Got the American dream by way of a wealthy storeowner that married my mom. He kept us stocked in designer clothes and Lamborghinis. We lost our accents and spent many years indulging in the aspects of Western culture. My mother and my adoptive father were very supportive of my desire to transition. They wanted me to be happy and to be happy I wanted to be a girl. I’ve wanted to since I was twelve maybe even before that. But they told me I had to pay for the final ‘nip and tuck’ myself.” 

“You start stripping?” Daryl asked. 

“Close. I was cast in a burlesque show that had many loyal and well off fans. See with stripping I’d have to take off my panties and once the pickle is out the jar well…in the burlesque show it was all teasing and flash to give them the illusion if nudity. I actually wanted to go into sports – I ran track and did gymnastics in high school. My parents put up enough of a stink that the administrators let me on for the girls team. But once you start going pro they do gender testing and I didn’t have the nerve to get my surgery until about a month before this happened.” She gestured around, indicated the epidemic of walking half dead cannibals. “Luckily I also like to dance and Shelly always said Asian twinks like me sell lots of tickets. We got so popular that we actually went on tour…” She looked at him. “I got through the first leg of the tour before I found an excellent transgender surgeon here in Atlanta – then they dropped napalm in the streets and incinerated the hospital. Before Shane and Jim found me I was with another small group that didn’t make it. I just kept running and I ran right into Shane’s gun.” She looked at him expectantly. “Your turn.”

“I lived north of here with my father and Merle…they were…okay when I had money to buy beer and meds – which I got most of the time from scamming people with my brother. I think once we were selling preorder steaks to a retirement community. When Merle was around we had a lot – when he wasn’t we had to hunt to put dinner on the table. I was with my father when one of those bastards got him – been bouncing around with random people til now.”

“Oh…” She hummed. He still didn’t look comfortable around her so she kept talking as she inched her way closer. “How old are you?” 

“Thirty-nine.” He answered. 

“Twenty-nine.” She said without being asked and he snorted. 

“You look like you’re twelve.” 

“Is that why you like me?” She asked as she straddled one of his legs. “Getting your fix on underage titties.” 

“No!” He protested in a loud whisper. He ended up rolling his eyes when she giggled. “Getting tired of you doing that.” 

“No you’re not. Men get off on being teased. And you like the attention.” She said as she reached for the buttons on his shirt. He grabbed her hands before she could even get one undone. 

“Shirt stays on.” 

“Who’s being a tease now? Giving me a little taste – showing off these pythons and not letting me get to the rest.” She said as she stroked his arms. He flexed and she wondered for a moment if he did that on purpose or if he was just tensing up like he normally did. “C’mon.”

“Shirt stays on.” He repeated. She rolled her eyes but let him keep it on. 

“Want a kiss?” She asked as she laid flush on top of him. He watched her as she smirked – her thigh was right next to his cock. Despite the fact he wasn’t really aroused it started to get erect. God, he felt like he was fifteen and it pissed him off. He was a grown ass man why couldn’t he keep from popping random boners? 

“Yeah.” He answered and leaned up for her. She gave him a quick peck and smiled as she pinned his arms to the ground above his head. 

“You’re starting to like how that feels.” She said – like it was fact. Daryl hadn’t been big on kissing – it made those one-night stands and parking lot hand jobs just too intimate and intimacy he could not handle. Not with random bar bitches – he wanted to get off not pick out curtains. He couldn’t even muster it with girls he wanted to hang around and they would get tired of his deficiency and leave. Or they’d start fucking Merle – his older brother was good at spouting that sweet talk they craved.

Bo kissed him again. He growled through his teeth when she pulled away just as he was leaning into it. She smirked when she nudged his sack with her knee. He jumped when she unzipped his pants. “Wait!” 

“Why?” 

“Can we…” He sucked his teeth and put his head back like he was deeply aggravated. He really wanted what ever she was about to do to him but he couldn’t help the doubt that washed over him. The insecurity and second guessing that always plagued him when sex was involved. Especially now, knowing what she had between her legs – he could feel it on his thigh. He was a little nauseated and his dick deflated at the thought of being with her. But then his mind went back to the other day and how good it felt to have her lips on him. “I need to sort myself out.” 

“That’s what I’m trying to do if you just let me get your pants down.” 

“No!” He said firmly and she backed off a little. “I mean—just don’t… If you want this I need to go slower. Not exactly going to be a one time thing is it?” 

“I was hoping not.” She admitted. 

“Well, I’ve never had that before.” He confessed and prayed that she understood what he wanted. He wasn’t great at explaining himself either. And once more he didn’t want to explain himself. Sex had always been quick for him – he never slept with the same girl twice. How would he approach her again? Witty banter about the weather? He was no good with small talk – why would he even try after she gave up the goods in the back of his truck? He didn’t know what to do and it annoyed him.

“You want to take it slow.” She didn’t really ask – he guessed she could see the uncertainty in his eyes. Even she looked a little perplexed by the concept. Nevertheless he nodded and she smiled. “You’re so cute.” Daryl frowned.


	4. Transitory page 4

Daryl was grateful to have distractions from his budding relationship with Bo. The word alone made him want to fling himself off a cliff. People like Rick and Lori had relationships. Carol had a relationship with her husband – such as it was. Daryl hoped he’d never have anything in common with the suburb dwellers but now that he thought about it they were all in the same boat. Just people trying to survive together and that in itself was a relationship. And so what if Bo wanted to cuddle up to him at night and scratch his hair for him. He’d allow it but he damn sure wasn’t picking out China or putting a ring on anything. He couldn’t help but notice how jammed up Glenn was over the farmers daughter – Maggie. If Daryl ever found himself so whipped he’d go searching for that cliff again. 

Bo wasn’t controlling though. She liked being in control of what she did but she never tried to give Daryl jobs to do or tell him how to act. She did however tell him very often how bad he smelled and she kept spraying some mint flavored shit in his mouth when ever they kissed. “You’ve got mushrooms growing in your pit hair.” She said. 

“So what?” He asked and fidgeted as she messed with his hair. “What are you doing?” 

“Checking you for lice.” Lori answered for her as she did the same for Carl. “Last thing we need is an out break especially since we’re in such close quarters here…you’re clean honey.” She patted Carl’s shoulder before turning to Rick. Daryl lifted an eyebrow at how happy the man seemed to be over the fact that his wife was literally nit-picking him. 

“By some miracle, you’re lice free.” Bo said as she combed Daryl’s hair somewhat back to the way it was. He couldn’t get up fast enough. He watched as Shane took his place and took his cap off. Bo sifted through his curls – her hands slowing down when he let out a pleased little moan. She leaned in closer and sniffed him. Shane didn’t even seem to notice until her face was all the way in his hair. 

“Am I done here Bo?” He asked as he glanced up. 

“Mm-hmm.” She hummed. Daryl glared at them and Shane just smirked. 

“Then I’m gonna need my head back.” He said and she seemed to snap out of her revelry over his scent. 

“You gonna check me next?” T-dog asked and Bo laughed as he aimed his bald head down so she could see. She rubbed his skin before she handed him the comb. 

“Gimme a once over – I won’t even have to bend down if you do it.” She said before she looked at the ground. T-dog parted her hair a few times before he smiled. 

“No nits. And as my grand-momma would say ‘child you got good hair’.” He said as he gave it a playful tug before walking away. Daryl was seething a little bit. Everyone else made it look so damn easy to talk to her. They played around, told jokes and didn’t get boners when she touched them. Beth came to Bo next and after she checked the girl she braided her hair in to two pigtails. Daryl snorted – he never thought he’d see anyone sweeter than Beth but Bo was so frilly that he didn’t feel so stupid about not noticing she was actually a tranny. She radiated femininity. The way she walked and talked. Her gestures and the way she moved…so confident in her body and sure of herself. 

“Welcome to Salon Casina.” She said as she put on a fake Asian accent as Andrea sat down to be checked. “What we do today?” 

“Oh y’know – dye the grays, trim the ends and a little volumizer.” Andrea said and they both laughed. See, Daryl didn’t know what the hell volumizer was – none of the men did. She checked Andrea’s hair before pulling it back into the ponytail she had it in. Carol was next and afterwards she started whispering to Bo about something. 

After everyone was cleared they gathered by the cars to determine who would be going where today. Daryl was about to walk away and continue his search for Sophia when Bo spoke up. “I’m going on a supply run, so get your list to me now if you need anything.” She said as she looked at the map. “Beth told me there’s one of those bulk supply stores this way.” 

“Glenn should go.” Rick said quickly. 

“I can handle it. And the less bodies in the car, the more stuff I can bring back.” 

“What stuff are you going for?” Shane asked – as if what ever she needed was already going to be deemed unnecessary before she even said it. 

“There are seven women living here, you figure it out or do we have to have a refresher course of health class? I’d rather not have Glenn bringing back ‘Depends’ instead of ‘Stayfree’ because he doesn’t know the difference. 

“I know the difference.” Glenn interjected. 

“My point is, I’d rather take Andrea or Maggie. Or I could go alone, like Glenn used to do all the time.” 

“That was before we saw the walkers in packs. They sneak up on you—“

“Enough. I’m going and if I don’t make it back then you have full permission to be the captain of hindsight.” She said before she took up her axe. “But as it stands all of you ‘men-folk’ need to be looking for Sophia while I go get you new boots and do the laundry.” Rick looked at her for a moment – she had successfully thrown their chauvinism back in their faces. It was true none of the men had the time to do that kind of stuff. They’d rather be ‘saving the day’. He handed her the keys to Carol’s jeep. 

“It’s quieter than the trucks and it has cargo space.” He said. She nodded and headed out. She passed Daryl on her way out the driveway. 

“People usually kiss before they part ways.” She pointed out and he looked around. “Come on… no one can see you if you use too much tongue.” He snorted and leaned into her open window. He knocked their foreheads again but they managed to kiss. He was halfway in the window pressing her head into the headrest by the time it ended. She cupped his chin and stroked her thumb over his stubble. He leaned back and she drove off. He watched the car until it was out of sight before he headed for the stables. 

\----

“This was a necessity?” Shane asked as he looked over the dinning room table. Bo had littered the surface with her spoils from the bulk store. Make-up, nail files, hair stuff and lots of other crap that was making Shane more and more annoyed by the minute. He knew – somewhere in the back of his mind that he was really pissed off about what Lori just said to him in the hallway. 

“I’ve always been a bit of an impulse shopper.” Bo said as she carefully put on some lip gloss. “I got the stuff we needed – the car is packed to capacity.” 

“And this shit?” Shane asked as he glared at a bottle of purple nail polish.

“No cussin in the house.” Patricia warned and Shane lifted his brow at her in his usually ‘really?’ look.

“Is it hurting you to have it here?” Bo asked. “I thought it would be nice to give the girls some sense of normalcy. So they’re not thinking about walker guts and all the other terrifying shi—stuff that’s happening.” She glanced at Patricia when she almost cursed. The other woman smiled at her a little. 

“You mean like looking for Sophia?” Shane asked. Carol looked down and placed the silk scarf back on the table. Truly over come with guilt that she had any fun while Sophia was still out there. “It’s all useless crap.” He glared at a packet of animal print hair clips and noticed there was another bag full of bras and panties and who knew what else by Bo’s chair. 

“I beg to differ.” Andrea said as she picked up a box of tampons. There were at least ten others on the table along with pads – all of them different brands and coverage. Shane could feel his neck heat up and he scratched at it. “This stuff was desperately needed.

“What he means is – what a nice gesture.” Lori said before she gave Shane a look. 

“Don’t talk for me.” He warned her. “Y’know Daryl nearly died while you were out there picking up cheetah bows and nylons.” 

“Nylons are good insulation in the winter.” Maggie pointed out as she opened a tube of mascara. 

“Wait, wait! Daryl got hurt?” Bo asked. “What happened?” 

“Lucky for you he’s not dead. You can ask him yourself after you’re done visiting la-la land here.” He said – knocking over and a bottle of shampoo when he gestured. He stomped off after that. Bo looked a little lost for a moment until Herschel came in the room. 

“Where’s Daryl? Is he okay?” She asked. 

“He’s right in there.” He pointed her into one of the side parlors. She started towards the room but stopped short for a moment. She went back to the table and grabbed a small luggage bag off the floor. She handed it to Herschel. “They had a pharmacy.” She said simply before she went into the room. Daryl looked at her over his shoulder and her brow knit together.

“Oh my God. What happened to you?” she asked. She approached the bed like it would bite her if she moved too quickly. 

“Horse threw me. Shit happened and I fell down a ravine.” He said and shrugged like it was nothing. “Then Andrea shot me in the head. After that I lost track. I may have skinned my elbow on the way to the ground.” She let out a laughed that quickly turned into sobs. Daryl just stared at her and after a second she bolted from the room. 

\----

“Hey.” Shane said once he was close enough to Bo. He kicked the wheel of the old tractor she was sitting on and she sniffled. Bo looked over her shoulder at him before she turned back around to wipe her face. 

“What do you want?” She asked – very much not in the mood for his shit.

“To apologize.” Shane said. 

“To apologize or to talk until I agree with you?” she asked. 

“Don’t know if you noticed but I got a little problem with popping off at the mouth.” He tried to joke. “Didn’t mean to make it seem like Daryl getting hurt was your fault. And it was nice of you to get all that crap for the girls.” 

“It’s not crap.” Bo said as she glared at him. She watched as he brought his hand from behind his back. She looked at the bottle he held up before she looked at his face. 

“Peace offering?” He asked as he gave it a little shake. 

“Proof?” She asked as she lifted an eyebrow. 

“Ninety.” He said as he squinted at the label. She hopped down from her perch, took it from him and started twisting off the cap. 

“Don’t go thinking I forgive you.” She said. “I’m not so easily bought.” 

“Of course not… I also have cigarettes.” He said as he held them up. 

“Son of a bitch – took you this long to tell me?” She knocked back the bottle for a second and hissed as the alcohol burned down her throat. Shane lit a cigarette for her and she hesitantly took it from between his fingers. “How come you never let women do anything on their own?” 

“It’s dangerous out there. Just trying to keep you safe.” Shane said – almost automatically. 

“No, I get the feeling even before the dead started getting up and eating people you had this way about you.” She said before she took another swig. 

“What way might that be?” He asked and squinted when she blew smoke in his face. 

“Like your dick is God’s gift to the fairer sex. Like you can use your body and those pretty brown eyes to solve all a woman’s problems by keeping her safe and snug under your thumb.” She said before she took another shot. He took the bottle from her. 

“You sharing that?” He asked before he drank some. “With how little you are you better slow down – you’ll get alcohol poisoning from a thimble full.” 

“There you go again. Tell me what’s best for my own body and telling me what to do.” 

“God, how does Daryl put up with your constant ball busting?” Shane asked sarcastically. She almost laughed at how ironic it was that he asked that – what with the way Lori was up his ass about every little thing he said and did.

“He likes it. Same as you.” She said as she smoked her cigarette. “All men crave that woman that will call them on their chauvinistic bullshit and fight back.”

“Now is not the time to be a feminist.” He quipped. “Pump you speeches about suffrage when society comes back.” 

“Society ain’t coming back.” She snorted and he looked at her sharply. He assumed she thought like the other women – that she was holding out for ‘normal’ to come back. For the cavalry to come with a cure and hoping for a return to Wednesday night comedies on TV and worrying about having too much to eat. She wasn’t nearly drunk enough to just be spouting bullshit. “This is it. The rest of your life is right in front of you. Going to sleep thinking you’ll be eaten while you dream and waking up both grateful and angry that you’re not dead.” 

“Damn girl… then what was all that shit in there about giving the girls hope for a normal life?” 

“A pacifier. You think they want to hear that they’re going to be ripped apart? That no good men survived and that they’ll probably be brutally raped and beaten by the men that did survive before being thrown to the eaters ‘just cause’.” She said. “People were terrible with the threat of the judicial system and capital punishment. Now there’s nothing. And all the good guys died trying to ‘help’.” 

“I’m a good guy.” Shane said as he got closer to her. She chuckled. 

“You think Daryl got hurt for nothing.” She took back the bottle. 

“What makes you say that?” He asked as he watched her drink. 

“Because everyone is too scared to say the truth. Sophia has either been picked up by another group or if you’re being really honest…she’s been devoured, infected and is now one of those things. Personally I blame Rick for shoving this futile search on everyone. Daryl… well he’s just plain stupid – nearly breaking his neck for a doll. No one wants to face facts. Herschel wants us gone, Patricia wants you dead for what happened to Otis. This farm is not as safe as everyone thinks and we should’ve gone to Fort Benning as soon as we lost the Atlanta camp. The CDC was nothing but a lesson in stupidity. Nothing gained, a person lost…Half our supplies and gas gone. Now T-dog, you and Daryl are hurt. Sophia’s dead and everyday we’re probably drawing walkers here… but I’m just a woman. What do I know?” She shrugged as she finished her cigarette. “Do me a favor?” 

“What?” 

“Do something about Rick before we all die looking for Sophia’s ghost.”


	5. Transitory page 5

“Hey girl!” Bo looked up when she realized Daryl was addressing her. She was walking by his tent, unloading all the supplies she got from the bulk store and making sure everyone got their share. She got new pots and pans, tents, tons of canned food and other none perishables like rice and beans, blankets, pillows and other comforts of ‘home’. And of course clothes. Daryl called to her from the little mesh window in the side of his tent. She didn’t even realize he was well enough to be out of the house. 

“Hey yourself.” She said as she walked in. “You sure you should be out here?” 

“Flesh wounds.” He shrugged. 

“While I’m here…you’re a 38, 40 – right?” she asked as she looked through the basket of new clothes. 

“You calling me fat?” he asked. When she looked at him he smirked. “32.” She went through a few pairs of pants before she found the right size and deposited two of them on the end of his cot with a few pairs of socks and tank tops. 

“See ya—“ 

“Hold up.” He said as he sprung up and grabbed her wrist. He winced a little when he stretched his stitches. He didn’t feel himself bleeding so he relaxed knowing he didn’t pop them open. Bo looked at the contact before she focused on his face. “You avoiding me like red ants. What was with your little freak out the other day?” he asked. 

“I freaked out – you answered your own question.” She said simply. He gave her a look and she sighed. “I’ve never lost anyone before. The closest my parents ever came to dying was a common cold. I was never taught…I never learned how to deal with injuries and what not.” She confessed. 

“You think they’re still alive?” Daryl asked. 

“I want to believe. So don’t give me a speech about denial when you were shot and stabbed over a doll.” She said as she gave him a stern look. “I’ve never emoted like that – it won’t happen again.” 

“Not to sound too much like the ‘breeders’ but it shows you care – I can appreciate that.” He said – trying not to snap at her over what she said about denial. He didn’t want an argument right now. And from her lack of faith he assumed she had been talking to Shane. Last thing he needed was for them to have it out and she go running to him. But truth be told if Daryl didn’t think of her as female he would’ve gotten up and clocked her. “Sides, I could use a little company right now.” 

“I didn’t want to crowd you. Men need space to lick their wounds.” She said absently. 

“Did I ask for space?” 

“No.” 

“Well then – ain’t we supposed to be bonding or some shit?” He asked. 

“I guess.” She shrugged. “This whole thing is kind of new to me. My longest relationship was with my second vibrator.” He laughed. 

“Second? What happened to the first one?” 

“Tragic story. I was hitting all the right spots and I am milliseconds away from what is sure to be a great orgasm when the lead weight breaks – it strokes out and dies and I’m so frustrated I throw it through my television.” She said bluntly. 

“My condolences” He said and she chuckled. 

“I’m sorry – we’re suppose to be getting to know each other and I’m talking about all my dirty habits.” She said. 

“Well come on,” He said as he sat up and moved to get off his cot. “Take me for a walk and I’ll tell you some of mine… can’t stand to lay here any longer.” 

They took up their weapons and went for a very leisurely stroll around the farm. Daryl looked around before he caught Bo’s hand and laced their fingers together. It was her turn to tense up. It seemed he wasn’t the only one that couldn’t deal with intimacy. Sure she had no problem with lust – blowing him wasn’t the same as showing true affection. He stroked his thumb over her smooth wrist and chuckled when she tried not to smile. They were literally holding hands while walking through a field of flowers. 

“How good were you at gymnastics?” He asked out the blue. 

“Good enough to compete. But like I said – I had the wrong ‘parts’ to go pro.” She said. “The show called for more ballet than flips but I can still hit a split and walk on my hands.” 

“No shit?” he asked. She let go of him and bent over. Once her hands were on the ground she kicked her legs up and held herself steady for a second or two before she started walking around on her hands. After a while she bent her legs and flipped back up right. She did a few cartwheels before she landed in a split. She put her arms up and smiled at him. “Nice.” He said and clapped. She stood up and took a bow. When she righted herself she suddenly jumped and ran away from the tree line when she heard a snarl behind her. Daryl got his crossbow ready and nailed the walker that stumbled out of the woods. Once it was down he retrieved the bolt and looked back at Bo. He was starting to think she’d always be terrified of those things. Her face had gone pale and her axe was shaking in her hands. It was hard to believe she was ever not female the way she naturally reacted to things like this. But that wasn’t to say men didn’t turn into sniveling babies when confronted with their fears. Glenn was prone to screaming freak-outs on occasion. “It’s okay. Come on.” He grabbed her hand and she held it without hesitation this time – grateful to have him to hold on to as he led her away.

“We should go back.” She protested as he led her deeper into the woods. “What if there’s more than one.” 

“Well that’s what I’m looking for. If we can we gotta get rid of them too and keep them away from the farm.” He said as he walked. “Track where our ‘audience’ came from.” 

“You used to hunt?” She asked as she looked around nervously. He glanced back at her for a second. She was still shaken – so much so that she didn’t even notice when he stopped. She bumped into him and he chuckled at the surprised look on her face. 

“Come on. Squat down – I’ll show you something.” He said. “If nothing else it’ll help you avoid packs of them.” She bent down and followed his hand when he pointed. 

“Walkers are usually easy to track – they’ll have a bum leg or a bitten off toe that’ll make their stride sloppy and they end up leaving a very obvious print.” He started. “Not only that but they’re usually dripping something nasty.” He took up a stick and pointed at a red and black glob on the ground. “He dropped his kidney.” 

“Eww…” She whined and he chuckled. 

“You’re little fan was dragging his left foot – right one had a sneaker on it.” He said and pointed at the impression of a clover pattern next to a patch of smooth dirt. “We’ll be looking for that sweep to be on our right.” 

“Okay.” She looked around for a second. 

“Look here.” He said and snapped his fingers. “Left some sand…he came from the creek.” 

“Okay, great. Let’s get you back to the farm – you shouldn’t even be up yet.” She said as she stood up. 

“Just a little longer.” He said and looked at her pleadingly. She rolled her eyes – who could resist that look. He probably got extensions on his bedtime constantly as a child with how polished that requested was. 

“Fine.” She said before she checked the bandage on his forehead. “Show me something else.” 

“Well, walkers ain’t exactly graceful.” He started up again. “He hit here, there, this tree, tripped on that and caught himself on this.” He said as he pointed out the various spots and Bo could see the blood, scraps of clothing and scratches the walker left on the trees. “Go on there, Bo-peep. Lead us to where he came from.” He pushed her out in front of him and she started looking around. It took them nearly half an hour just to get a few feet. The walker changed direction several times – bumped through the trees like a pinball before he had finally reached the field where they were. He wouldn’t have made it to the farm if he had continued wherever he was going but he had heard Daryl’s clapping and veered towards them. They made it to the creek and Bo smiled wide over the fact she had gone the right way. Daryl held his side for a second and she noticed how much he was sweating. 

“Shit. We gotta get you back.” 

“Nah, I need to rest first or I won’t make it.” He said as he sat on a nearby stump. He took a deep breath and looked around. “Looks like he was alone.” He watched as she put her hands in the water. “You can’t drink that.” 

“I know – but it’s nice and cold.” She said. After soaking her hands for a second she put them to her neck and sighed. She did it again and walked over to him. “Here.” He couldn’t help but twitch when she pressed her cold fingers to his neck. It did feel nice though. She moved one hand to his forehead and he blinked slowly. They hadn’t really had the time to work on the physical part of their relationship since they decided to take it slow. He hadn’t thought about it until now that her soft palm was on his neck. He could smell her even though it was that same ‘outdoors’ smell that everyone had. He liked it. He figured it must be the pheromones in her sweat that attracted him. No expensive soap or perfume at the end of civilization but she was still clean – cleaner than him, he always seemed to have dirt under his nails and a layer of mud that made him look darker than he really was. 

Daryl stared down at her hips. She still had a nice shape to her. Best of all her bones weren’t sticking out. He put his hands there and squeezed a little. “What are you doing?” She giggled quietly. She nudged his head with her chin and he looked up at her. Daryl pulled her closer and kissed her. There was no rush – no need to display how much he’d miss her like he did with their goodbye kiss. It was slow and chaste and it made her moan like he had never heard before. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself closer and she opened her lips. He squeezed her hips harder when he felt her tongue. He opened up for her and moaned when their tongues met. He could feel the jolt it sent through her and a sexist thought ran through his mind ‘Only women enjoy kissing so much.’ When she wiggled her hips the moment shattered when her erection brushed his stomach. He turned his head and the kissed ended with an audible ‘smack’. He knew she was offended by his sudden disgust but he couldn’t look her in the eye. 

“It’s a part of me Daryl.” She said. “If you want me you have to want all of me because it’s not going anywhere. And no one hates it more than I do – cause I want to be complete for you…but I’m not.” Daryl sighed as he rested his forehead on her shoulder. He could smell her again. Even with the sweat and woodsy stink – she didn’t smell like Rick or T-dog or even him. Her scent – she smelled like a woman and it turned him on. He looked down at his hand on her hip. Against his better judgment he moved it inward. He didn’t mean to grab her so roughly but she took his silence as rejection and she was starting to move away when he cupped her. “Ow!” Her scream echoed a little before she bit her lip to silence herself. She dug her nails into his shoulders at the sudden flood of sensation. “Daryl—“ 

“Sorry.” He apologized quickly and rubbed her to sooth the pain. ‘Holy shit.’ He thought. ‘I’m touching it.’ He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t a little turned off. He had never been picky about looks. Pussy was pussy and he had never been turned off by that. And he wasn’t gonna tell anybody how to live their lives but he thought homosexuality was gross. But this wasn’t the same as being gay. It wasn’t straight either – it was something he couldn’t identify. Because as he watched his hand slowly rub up and down her confined cock he had his forehead between her breasts. Small but soft – just like he would expect tits to be. 

Bo cupped his face and made him look up. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were dark. She was panting in his face before she kissed him. She let go of his chin to open her jeans. Daryl looked down again once she got them open. “Oh shit.” He said out loud. She was wearing panties. He didn’t know why he thought she wouldn’t be but it blew his mind to see the dark purple material. He put his other hand down the back of her jeans – they were the little kind that only covered half her ass. “Oh damn.”

Daryl pulled her jeans down to her thighs and looked at her. Her cock was peeking out the top ban of her panties. He pulled them down and got a good look at her. Her pubic hair was sparse and he let out a little chuckle when he noticed it was straight. Her cock wasn’t bigger than his but as it filled out he wondered how she managed to hide it – he had never seen her in anything other than tight jeans. Her balls weren’t that big – after all she transitioned from being an Asian man so he wasn’t really expecting it to be anything huge. 

“Lick your palm.” She panted. He looked up at her when she pulled her shirt over her head. As soon as she unhooked her bra he went under it. He took a second to do what she told him and made sure to get his hand as wet as he could. She put it back on her cock immediately and guided his speed. Bo moaned and put her head back when he used his free hand to squeeze her breast. He latched on to the other and sucked hard. He moaned against her skin when she grabbed the hair on the back of his head. She gasped his name and bucked into him ardently. 

It felt like it took her forever to cum. His arm burning from how fast he was pulling her by the time she got off. But it was well worth it. She tossed her head back as she shuddered in his grip. Her smooth neck fully exposed allowing him to give her a hickey. He let her go when she was spent and she clung to his shoulders for support until she could feel her legs again. She kissed him one last time before she pulled up her pants. Daryl was just looking at the mess on his hand a little unsure of what to do. She grabbed his wrist and pulled him over to the creek. They got cleaned up and headed back. This time she grabbed his hand and brought it up so she could kiss his knuckles. Daryl smiled. 

“That was a great ‘date’.” 

\----

“You got a minute?” Dale looked up when he heard Daryl – he was peaking his head into the door of the RV and moving his feet a little anxiously. Dale looked towards the bed to make sure Daryl was talking to him. 

“Eh, sure.” Dale said and gestured for Daryl to come in. He shut the door behind him and Dale bristled a little bit. This was about to be a heavy conversation – Daryl didn’t come to shoot the breeze. “What’s on your mind, son?” 

“Don’t call me that.” Daryl said sternly. 

“Sorry.” Dale took it back quickly. “Daryl…” He offered him the seat across from him at the table and Daryl sat down like he hadn’t rested in days. For a few long seconds he stared up at the ceiling and let out a sigh. “What’s on your mind?”

“Bo.” Daryl answered shortly. Dale smiled.

“She’s a sweetheart, isn’t she?” 

“Yeah…yeah.” Daryl said. “There’s this thing about her though. And in some ways it’s a very small part of who she is but it’s something that can’t be ignored. And I’m just… I guess I’m… wondering if it should matter so much.” 

“We all have our quirks.” Dale shrugged. “You’d be hard pressed to find anyone in the group that doesn’t have a bad habit or two.” 

“This is more than that. And if I don’t deal with it – it’ll only get worse.” 

“Was she bitten?” Dale asked suddenly. 

“What? No, she’s fine. Skins all smooth and fuzzy like a peach.” He rambled on. Dale’s eyebrows went up. 

“I didn’t realize you two were—“

“Well we are.” Daryl seeming to get defensive and just smiled at him. 

“It’s okay.” He assured Daryl. “Is that what you’re worried about? Getting involve with her? You think it’ll make you… careless?” 

“Among other things.” Daryl shifted in his seat like he was uncomfortable. 

“You’re nervous about being with her?” He asked. Daryl looked at him for a second – the older man really was astute. He could read people as plainly as the book in his hand. “You shouldn’t be – the two of you are as normal as apple pie. If this is about her race—

“It’s not like that.” Daryl interrupted. “And she ain’t normal…” Dale lifted an eyebrow at him. Daryl’s tone indicated that there was something seriously wrong with her. 

“In what way?” 

“Huh?” 

“In what way is she not normal? I know she was some kind of exotic dancer—“ 

“Burlesque…she danced in a show like ballet – she wasn’t a stripper.” Daryl said quickly. 

“Okay.” Dale nodded slowly. “But it does mean she has some experience over you. Is that why you’re nervous – you think you’ll disappoint her?” 

“No!” Daryl said – he got defensive again and Dale rolled his eyes a little. 

“In the interest of saving time – not that I have any pressing matters to attend to - why don’t you just tell me why you have this apprehension?” 

“Have what?” 

“Why are you nervous about being with her? What makes you think you won’t be good enough or… why do you think she’s not normal?” 

“Cause she’s not!” Daryl said louder than he meant to. He bit his lip and pressed his fingers into his eyes. He was frustrated and Dale could tell his patience was running out. He’d either say what he came there to say in the next few minutes or leave – telling Dale to forget it. “Bo is a trans… She has um…. Shit what was the words she used?” 

“A trans? You mean a transvestite?” He asked. Daryl made a face like he didn’t like the sound of that word. 

“No she said she was transitioning and she never got the final surgery.” He said like it exhausted him. Dale just looked at him for a moment. 

“Transitioning… from…” 

“A boy to girl.” Daryl clarified. 

“So you’re telling me Bo is a boy.” 

“No.” Daryl said quickly. “Well… below the belt but up top her tits are real. Her hair is too.” Dale sat back in his seat – mouth slightly agape and eyes wide. It was more of a shock than he got from Glenn a few days ago. 

“This is what you need my advice on?” He asked. Daryl shrugged. “Well how do you feel about her…er him… she?”

“She’s a woman. That’s what she calls herself. It’s what I thought she was up until she told me. I still see her that way.” 

“Then what’s the problem?” 

“When she pulls down her pants it’s a different story.” Daryl said. 

“She has hips.” Dale said as if he were sill trying to wrap his brain around it. “Well I can tell you you’re not being petty – that’s a lot to accept.” 

“No shit.” 

“Take a few days… there’s already a lot going on. Give it a little distance. Give it time…I know it’s not really luxury we have lately but you look like you need it.” 

“And if I still want to be with her?” 

“Take it slow.”


	6. Transitory page 6

“I need you to have my back on something.” Shane said. Bo blew her smoke up and away from him before she looked at him.

“So… you’ve been buying my loyalty?” 

“Didn’t need to.” Shane said. “It’s on a subject we already agree on.” He lifted his brow. 

“Sophia?” She asked and he nodded. She took a long drag of her cigarette and sighed it out. “That could go very badly.” 

“Things have been going badly this whole time. Herschel wants us gone, Lori is pregnant and there are walkers in the barn.” He blurted out. “I’m saying, when things get worse…and they will – I need you to back me up.” 

“Mind telling me your plan?” She asked. He looked at the RV sharply. 

“You’ll know it when you see it.” He answered as he walked off. 

Bo watched him go and finished her cigarette. She spotted Lori waving to her and went to the house to help with the chores. “Hey, what were you talking to Shane about?” Lori asked as she put an arm around Bo. 

“He’s worried.” Bo answered. “He just wanted to know what I think about the barn.” 

“I’m worried too but it’s Herschel’s property – you remember that.” Lori said sternly. 

“I do.” Bo nodded. She noticed the little smile on Lori’s face as she looked at her. “What?” 

“Daryl’s feeling a lot better. You’ve been taking care of him?” She asked. Bo chuckled. 

“In a matter of speaking.” She said. “I tell him to relax and he goes on a hike. When he gets back – complaining about how much it hurt to move I sit there trying not to say I told you so. We bicker a little, then make out a little and then we fall asleep – wash, rinse, repeat.” 

“He needs that stability.” Lori said and chuckled a little. “He thinks he has no one now that his brother is gone.”

“I doubt his brother was doing for him what I do.” They laughed as they went in the house. Bo busied herself for a while. Shane didn’t come back for nearly an hour, right around the time Daryl and Carol came back from their walk. “Where have you been?” she asked. Daryl lifted an eyebrow at her suspicious tone. 

“Searching - like I do everyday.” He answered. She rolled her eyes and looked down when Shane put a glock in her hand. He then went about giving a gun to everyone until Lori yelled at him to stop. 

“What’s this?” Bo asked. 

“I need you now.” He answered as he looked at her for a long beat. He was hyped up on who knows what and his statement made Daryl glare at them.

“What--?” Before he could question it Shane ran off towards the barn and everyone followed. He went off and Bo wasn’t quite sure what he was planning until he broke open the barn doors. He pulled her in line with the rest and flicked the safety off for her. She had barely hit anything at target practice the other day but when those walkers came charging she hit at least three. She could barely hear by the end of it but Carol’s crying was suddenly so loud when Sophia came stumbling out of the barn. The sound of Rick’s gun made everything go silent again. 

\----

Herschel and his family rushed from the scene and Shane went after them like a dog with a bone. “We didn’t know she was in there.” 

“Your barn, your rules. I say you’re full of shit.” Bo snapped. 

“Why would I lie? To keep you people here?” Herschel asked as he glared at her. “You and him – I want you gone now!” 

“Daddy no.” Beth pleaded. 

“Done and done.” Bo said as she turned to leave. 

“You’re not going anywhere.” Daryl said as he grabbed her arm. She snatched away from him. 

“Don’t—“ they all looked up when Maggie gave Shane a firm smack in the face. 

“Just leave us alone.” She said before they went in the house. The rest of the group just stood there in silence for a while. Andrea grabbed T-dog and nudged Bo’s arm. 

“Let’s start digging.” 

\----

Bo was exhausted – all she wanted to do was crawl in her tent and go to sleep. Oddly enough she headed to Daryl’s out of habit only to find it gone. She looked around and spotted Daryl setting it up way out in a field near an old chimney. She was too tired to walk all the way out there so she went to her seldom used tent and laid down. She didn’t wake up until later that night. The camp was a buzz about Rick and Glenn still being out with Herschel. Beth was having some kind of issue. And apparently now Lori was missing. Carol touched her shoulder.

“Can you go ask Daryl to go—“ 

“No, I’ll go find her.” Bo interrupted. She didn’t want to deal with him right now. But as soon as she said that Shane was off and running to his car. “God damn it.” She bolted after him and got in just as he was peeling out. 

“Don’t need you.” 

“Well you got me. You don’t get to pick and choose when I have your back.” She said and put on her seat belt when he went well over the speed limit. They stopped at the wreck and Shane told her to stay in the car as he checked it out. He got back in soon enough and sped away. “There she is.” Bo spoke up. Shane didn’t see anything but he slowed down and sure enough his headlights hit Lori a few seconds later. He hurried her in the car and they went back to the farm. Lori soon discovered Shane’s lie and walked off. Bo nearly jumped out of her skin when Carol tapped her shoulder. “Carol…what’s wrong?” She asked when she saw the woman was crying. 

“Nothing.” She lied instinctively. “I’m worried about Daryl – I went to go check on him. He’s hurting but he won’t talk to me. Well… not in a way that’s helpful.” 

“What did he say to you?” 

\----

Daryl looked up when Bo came stomping through the field. “What does it take to get away from you people?” He asked. “Moved out here for a reason.” 

“Shut the fuck up.” She snapped. “You talk to Carol like that again and I’ll knock your god damn teeth in.” 

“Ain’t you the ballsy one?” He said as he stood up. She advanced on him so quick he couldn’t block the punch she landed on his jaw. It knocked the spit out his mouth but not much else. It shocked him that she hit him more than anything else. Their feelings for one another had done a one-eighty since the other day. “Fuck… you hit like a man.” 

“I know what you’re trying to do.” She said. 

“Fuck off!” He yelled as he got in her face. She pushed him. 

“You think you’re the only one that cared?! We all did. We all wanted to find her but you were the only one stupid enough to believe we’d find a defenseless girl alive. Look around you – those things have brought about the end of the world! Most adults can’t survive the night.” Bo said. 

“Get that from your buddy Shane?” 

“No, got it from having more than half a brain to realize the truth. Did you think you’d find her and Carol would be so grateful that you guys would just be some happy little family?” 

“Get the hell out of here.” He growled.

“Happily.” She said before she walked off. She was so keyed up that she decided to take a lap around the farm before going back to camp. Undoubtedly Carol would be waiting for her to see how things went and she couldn’t face her right now. She had been counting on Bo to bring Daryl back from whatever edge he was on but all she did was drive him further away. She thought about going to see how Beth was doing but she remembered how useless she was when Daryl got hurt and took a second lap around the house. 

God, she couldn’t do this – she couldn’t handle people depending on her and expecting intimacy that she just could not deliver. She’d gone out there, prepared to hug Daryl and let him vent his pain but as she walked what Carol told her had enraged her and she ended up lashing out in her own pain at him. She didn’t want that – he didn’t deserve it. She rounded the house and batted a piece of laundry on the line out the way and her arm connected with something solid. The walker was stirred from his daze and it reached for her with a snarl.

“Ahhh!” She screamed and tried to run but she got tangled in the sheet. 

Shane and Rick were out of the house and across the yard just as Daryl was pulling the walker off Bo. It clung to her and she screamed when it’s hands came apart from its arms. Shane stabbed it in the eye and Daryl let it drop. “Get them off! Get the off of me!” she shrieked as she tried to pry the dead hands from around her wrists. Shane snapped them off and she hugged him. 

“Shh…I’ve got you.” He said as he fished the pack of cigarettes out his pocket. He lit it for her and she fumbled it when she tried to take it. 

“Are you okay?” Lori asked as she ran up with the others. “What happened?” 

“We missed one.” Rick said. 

“Or it got in somehow.” Glenn said as he looked around the fields nervously. It was more likely that the walker had been in the barn once they walked off and just now had the inclination to leave and head for the house.

“Come on. Come in the house – we’ll get you cleaned up.” Patricia offered.

\----

Shane came upon Bo the next day. Several cigarette butts at her feet as she worked her way through another. “You okay?” he asked as he stomped his boot on one that was still burning. 

“No.” She answered as she looked at the bruises on her forearms where the walker grabbed her. She had stayed up all night looking for scratches that might appear but there were none. “Can we leave?” 

“Rick doesn’t want to. He wants to square this Randall thing first.” Shane said. 

“You wanted to leave. Why even bother helping him?” She asked as she looked at him. “What happened? You were so ready to give them the finger and drive away.” 

“It’s complicated.” Shane said as he avoided her gaze. He watched Lori hanging laundry for a minute. “You saying you want to go with me if I do?” 

“Doesn’t matter I suppose. No matter where we go those things will find us.” She said as she hopped down from the tractor. “These aren’t helping me relax.” She flicked the cigarette away in disgust. “The one person that can help me with this hates my guts.” 

“Daryl doesn’t hate you. He’s hurt. You both need the same thing right now.” 

“Which is what?” She asked. Shane gave her a look and she rolled her eyes. “You’re a god damn genius Shane. Who knew all our troubles could be solved by taking our pants off in the same room.” 

“Hey don’t get snippy with me. I’m just saying – every body needs that ‘release’.” Bo just shook her head. Shane looked over his shoulder for a second before he took her hand. “Come on.” He led her into the tree line. Bo looked back for a moment until Shane whipped her around and kissed her. His movement so smooth she didn’t even realize what he was doing until he was gently licking at her lips. He tipped his head when she didn’t push him away. She put an end to it when he ran his hand up her thigh. “Shit, boy – you like to stir the pot.” She said after she pushed him away. 

“What you mean?” He asked as he rubbed his nose against hers. She pushed him back a little further. 

“Shane I’d love to fall for your bullshit but you already got two women pissed off at you for sticking your dick in them. I’m starting think you’re a ‘poison pole’.” She answered. He snorted. 

“Andrea don’t hate me. And Lori is only pissed because Rick’s not nearly as good as she remembers him being.” He said and rolled his eyes. 

“Still.” Bo started. “I’m with Daryl.” 

“Are you?” He asked. “Cause I noticed you haven’t been to his tent or so much as talked to him in nearly a week. In fact he moved away from you.” She crossed her arms and looked at him. “Tell you what, if you feel like going back to him after what I do to you—for you, then I’ll let it go.” 

“Oh, you’ll let me go?” She asked. Shane flexed when she challenged him. He was certain only two things were about to happen – either she’d tackle him and they fuck right there in the woods or she’d give him the finger and go running to Daryl. The man was meek without his brother so it didn’t worry Shane – he knew Daryl wasn’t the type to come after him for feeling up his girl. “Shane, I’d love to fuck you but—mm!” She yelped when he tackled her to the ground. He kissed her – forceful and demanding. She panicked – she couldn’t move him off of her. He was too heavy and she was too weak. “Shane stop—Wait. Wait!” she gasped as he shoved his hand down her pants. 

Everything stopped. Bo couldn’t even breathe as Shane eased back a little. It was like he was trying to comprehend what he had his hand on. For a few seconds he couldn’t understand that he wasn’t touching a vagina. Wondering what it was instead. He stood on his knees and yanked her pants down. She reached to stop him but he held both her wrists in one hand as he got a good look at her. All he really did was stare in disbelief for a few excruciating seconds. 

“You’re a tranny.” He blurted out. But he didn’t seem angry or disgusted. Bo shifted, trying to turn so he couldn’t see her. But he grabbed her knee and spread her legs back open. “Shit, no wonder you’re so ballsy.” He said before he slid his hand up. 

“I’m getting tired of people calling me that--Ahh!” She screamed and arched into his touch when he palmed her cock. 

“It still works.” Shane said. He tore his eyes away and looked up at her. She was terrified of him. 

“Please stop.” She begged.

“You don’t want to do it anymore?” He asked as he let go of her wrists. She pulled her pants up and inched away from him. 

“You do?” She asked. Shane shrugged and looked around for a second before focusing on her breasts. He looked at her face and smirked. 

“You still got an asshole don’t you?” he asked. Her eyebrows went up and he smiled wide at her. “You’re a woman, right?” 

“Yes.” She said and leaned into him when he crawled over her. He kept eye contact as he slipped his hand between her legs again. She keened and gripped his shirt. He pulled her shirt up with his free hand and latched on to one of her nipples. “Fuck!” 

“You sure you’re with Daryl?” He asked. She glared at him. “Cause you’re all wound up like no one has touched you in years.” 

“Shut the fuck up.” She snapped and he gave her a look. “Unzip your pants – cause that’s all I need out of you.” 

“Listen here—“ She grabbed his jaw. 

“Pants!” She said and he reached down without another word. While he was getting his belt undone she freed one leg from her jeans. Shane was working himself out when she pulled his shirt off him. She dragged her nails down his back and he hissed. She was reveling in the skin contact. Daryl never wanted to take off his clothes. He didn’t even let her touch his back. But Shane let her grope all over. And in turn he touched her all over. His body was amazing. He was all firm and lean – she particularly liked the v-cut of his hips. She whined when he started stroking her again. He did it without hesitation or a modicum of shame. He let go of his own cock to shove his fingers in her mouth. He didn’t have to tell her to suck. She wet them with her tongue and he pulled them back before pressing them into her hole. Getting her slick before replacing his digits with his cock.

Bo was speechless. Nearly euphoric over the fact that she didn’t have to tell him what to do. Shane hit her spot every time – the man was good at fucking there was no doubt about that. How he went so fast for so long was beyond her comprehension but at the moment every thing was beyond her. Besides that sweet, hot sensation of being filled nothing else mattered. She was coming after just a few minutes – peaking so fast and so hard that she screamed and bit into his shoulder. He was fervently stroking her cock as she went shuddering over the edge – never flinching or pulling away from the feel of her ejaculate. 

Despite how good he was giving it to her she desperately wanted to scream Daryl’s name. To open her eyes and see him panting over her. “Oh…shit…” When Shane moaned she looked down between them. He pulled out and jerked himself to completion. Even that felt good. His warm cum all over her thigh. A wide grin plastered on his face and he rode his orgasm. Once he caught his breath he rubbed it into her skin until it was all gone. She felt marked, claimed and sated by the thought. He nipped inside of her thigh, her navel, laved over her breasts before biting her left bicep with a low growl. She pulled him up and they kissed as he gently squeezed her breasts. The high wore off and they stared at each other for a moment. “We should get back.” 

As they fixed their clothes and pulled pine needles from themselves Bo knew they had the same thought. A sort of gravity descended on them of what they just did. While still reeling from how good it felt they realized it was probably a bad idea that they had sex. Daryl didn’t deserve her betrayal but she pushed that guilt away. He had been ignoring her he also didn’t deserve her loyalty at the moment. They never agreed to be exclusive. And if he had a problem with it…she’d probably drop to her knees and beg him to forgive her.


	7. Transitory page 7

Bo spent the next day in the house with Beth. She didn’t guilt her over her attempted suicide she just sat with her, played a little music and painted her nails when Beth fell asleep. She also found a marker and decorated the white bandages covering her wrist. Putting little phrases like ‘I love you’ and stars and flowers all over it. Bo was putting the finishing coat on Beth’s toes when she heard someone walking through the house. “I need to talk to you.” Beth jumped awake at the sound of Daryl’s deep voice and they both stared at him for a long moment. 

“I think he’s talking to you.” Beth said. Bo snorted and closed the bottle of nail polish before she followed Daryl out the room. He kept going – leaving the house completely and going towards the shed that held Randall before he stopped a few feet from it. 

“I didn’t mean that stuff I said – just like you didn’t mean what you said.” 

“No, I meant what I said. You’re an asshole.” She said as she crossed her arms. “You really think Carol needs to hear from you that she failed to protect her own baby?” 

“No.” He said before he looked at the ground.

“Did you apologize to her?” she asked. He didn’t answer. “I’m not talking to you until you do.” 

“From how you were actin’ I thought you didn’t want me to go near her. I spend a little time with her and you get so jealous you go off and fuck Shane.” He said. She stopped in her tracks but didn’t turn to him. “Far fall off that high horse of yours?” 

“How—“ 

“You have such good eye sight I thought you saw me standing there.” Daryl interrupted. “Caught a rabbit and a show. I saw him pull you into the woods… but you didn’t stop him.” 

“Daryl – what were you expecting? I see the way you look at me. You looked like you wanted to barf the other day at the creek. I wanted to have sex with someone who wasn’t disgusted by me.” 

“I’m not.” He insisted. “Although I am now but not because of your body. Why’d you let him do that to you?” 

“It was what I wanted Daryl. He didn’t rape me.” She said and rolled her eyes. That was one thing she didn’t like about being a female – people often assumed men were taking advantage of her because of how much sex she wanted.

“Why would you agree to take it slow with me and then… how long have you been screwing him?” Daryl asked. 

“I said I wasn’t talking to you until you apologized to Carol.” She said. “You want answers I suggest you man up.” 

\----

Bo spotted Daryl coming out of the RV as she grabbed her axe. “Bo!” She looked up when Andrea called her. She went off towards the shed even though Daryl was making his way to her. “You’re on Randall watch.” Andrea said as they crossed paths. Bo didn’t really like watching him. When he was awake he was whimpering over his leg or trying to talk to whoever was out there. Bo didn’t like Shane’s solution for him – who were they to kill him. The way Rick told the story his friends had been real assholes. They asked about guns and then they asked about women. Bo didn’t realize the mistrust that had been forming in her this whole time – it was hard for her to want new people in their group. She didn’t want to let Randall join them no matter how innocent he seemed but killing him was wrong. 

Bo looked through the crack in the door. Randall was nodding off – his head bobbing as he tried to fight it. She shook the door when Daryl tapped her shoulder. “Jesus.” She hissed at him. She looked in again and Randall spotted her through the crack. “What are you doing out here?” She asked. 

“I did what you asked now answer my questions.” He demanded. 

“You need a hobby.” She said and rolled her eyes. “What do you want to hear?” 

“The truth.” He said. “Why are you jerking me around?”

“I’m not. It was a one-time thing. I needed… to fuck. That walker almost got me last night and you were still giving me the cold shoulder. I don’t have any other explanation than that. I’m not trying to hurt you and I’m sorry if I did. You have no idea how badly I wanted him to be you.” Daryl stood there for a second. “I mean it… it was good but not worth it. You’re never going to touch me now…you can call me a slut if you want.” 

“Thanks. Take the fun out of it by allowing me to say it.” He said sarcastically. “It has set me back a bit.” Daryl admitted. “I can’t trust you to keep your damn pants on for more than two weeks… slut.” 

“Don’t get all high and mighty on me. We all make mistakes.” She said. They stood there in silence for a second until they heard Randal shifting around in the shed. “Are you gonna come back to camp with the rest of us?” 

“No.” He answered. “You coming out to me tonight?” 

“I thought you wanted space? And you just called me a slut.” 

“Didn’t I just ask you to come out to me? You told me I could.” 

“Why are you answering all my questions with questions? You’re not being clear.” They stared at each other for a long beat. 

“Come to my tent tonight and bring those cigarettes Shane has been bribing you with. Don’t fuck him again. Don’t pull down your panties for anything but to go to the bathroom.” Daryl said before he started to walk away. “Is that ‘clear’ enough for you?”

\----

Bo looked around Daryl’s camp when she found his tent empty. His bike was there and there was a small fire dying in the hearth of the old chimney. She decided to wait for him. But it wasn’t long before something happened. The night was shattered by Dale’s death. The whole ordeal was surreal and went by before anyone could realize what happened. When Daryl put that gun to Dale’s head Bo turned away. She blindly went back to the house with the other women while the men secured everything. 

They came in hours later to let them know camp was safe and they filed out of the house to their tents. No one would be sleeping. Bo was heading to her tent when she caught sight of Daryl – walking extra slow to his one-man camp. He glanced at her and she sighed before she ran after him. “Hey.” She said – not knowing what else to say. An especially loud owl made her jump and grab him. He snorted. “Sorry.” He took hold of her wrist to keep her close. After a few awkward seconds of silence he leaned over and kissed her. It was stiff and graceless. And she could tell he was embarrassed of himself afterwards. There was nothing sensual about it. He was just expressing his sadness, his longing and forgiveness. Speaking with no words – life was too short for jealousy and anger. Dale had died thinking the worst of them for what they planned for Randall. He would never forgive himself and neither would she if the same thing were to happen to them before they got a chance to make up. Bo smiled against his lips and showed him how it was done.

Bo watched Daryl’s eyes flutter shut as she cupped his cheek and eased her tongue between his lips. Working with him was like working with a virgin – everything he knew needed refining and guidance. Daryl followed directions very well… when he felt like it. She liked his hesitant tongue – the scratch of his facial hair on her skin. The feel of his shaky, unsure hand as it gripped hers. Unfortunately the owl let them know it was still there and she sucked her teeth as she pulled away. Even in the dark she could see the lightly colored bird as it stared at them. He just rubbed her arm and nodded towards the tent. They went inside.

Daryl was putting down his bow when she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He flinched away from her when she kissed his ear. “You okay?” She asked. 

“No.” He answered truthfully. 

“Well, lay back – I’ll make it better.” She whispered as she slid her hands down his arms. 

“No!” He barked and pushed her away. Bo stared at him for a long moment – she knew he didn’t want her to leave but she didn’t know what he wanted if he didn’t want sex. It was why all men had come to her – why they bought tickets to the show. They wanted a strip tease, they wanted to watch her. They went home and masturbated to the thought of her and that had become her purpose – to make men come and satisfy their fantasies. It was all she knew. Daryl had an unreadable expression on his face. It was somewhere between confusion and anger. His eyes tracking back and forth as he glared at his feet.

“Do you want to… talk?” She asked as if she were uncertain of the question. He looked at her and snorted. 

“We’re a fucking mess y’know that?” He asked. 

“Never admitted the contrary.” She shrugged. “But you’ve obviously got something on your mind and I’ve got no where to be at the moment so…talk to me.” 

“I don’t know what to say.” He said as he scratched his head. “How do I even start with what I just did out there?” 

“Well… are you sad? Angry? Numb? Remorseful?” 

“No.” He said. “I feel bad that Dale had to die like that. He didn’t deserve it. He’s always tried to do right by people, even me and Merle when we were being assholes.” He said. 

“You’re going to miss him.” She said and he looked at her for a second. 

“Yeah, I guess I am.” He admitted. “And it’s also this Randall thing. Rick keeps looking at me like I know what to do with him.” 

“Is that what happened to your knuckles?” She asked. He looked down at his hand and made a fist. The already raw skin aching as it stretched. “Is that what you want to do?” 

“No!” He said louder than he meant to. Bo was quiet for a few minutes. 

“Y’know we have to talk about what happened with me and Shane.” 

“I thought you already gave me that explanation.” Daryl said. “I don’t want to hear it—“ 

“No, you need to hear this. We can’t sweep it under the rug and let it fester… are you angry with me?” 

“That doesn’t matter now.” He tried to avoid the question. He was too tired to get in to this. He was struggling to keep his eyes open but something in him knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep more than a few minutes before these thoughts would start plaguing him. 

“I’m never going to do something like that to you ever again.” She promised. 

“Don’t need you to say that. Ain’t like we married or anything.” He shrugged. She looked a little dejected and he sighed. “I just wanna sleep. I don’t know why I wanted you out here. I’m not gonna be any fun tonight. You can leave if you want.” He sighed. She looked at the flap before she smiled at him. 

“Come lay down.” She ordered and he moved without a second thought. “On your side. Away from me.” He did as he was told and twitched when she settled in behind him. She put her arm around him and started rubbing his stomach. 

“What are you doing?” He asked. 

“It’s what my mother used to do to make me feel better. Some bitch cheerleader at school would yank my shirt up to show the other girls I didn’t have breasts. Or a teacher would call me Mr. Casina and everyone would just laugh.” She rested her head on his shoulder and continued to rub his slight belly – beer calories he had yet to burn off. “She’d tell me: Fuck those American brats. One day they’ll throw themselves at your feet.” Bo smiled a little at the fond memory. “She was right. At the ten year class reunion I totally throat fucked the head cheerleader and came all over her ridiculous fake tits.” Daryl laughed – genuinely laughed at her story. His fit of giggles lasted a few minutes before he settled back down. 

“That does make me feel better.”


	8. Chapter 8

It was Daryl’s turn to watch Bo sleep. He woke up just as the sun was coming up. The rooster was actually doing its job that morning. Daryl turned over. He actually forgot Bo was there and nearly hit her in the face with his elbow. When he moved she stirred and let out a little snort. He went completely still until she settled. He finished turning over very slowly. He propped his head up on one arm and put the other around her. She snuggled in closer and he carefully tipped her head back so he could see her face. He brushed her hair back and that’s when he noticed it. 

Bo had a tattoo a very small tattoo below her ear. If she had her hair tied up it could easily be mistaken as part of her hairline. Daryl smirked when he realized it was a doe with it’s ears up – standing on thin legs like it was ready to run. It suited her. “Mmm…” She moaned when he touched it. She brought her hand up and gripped his. “Is it morning already?” 

“Yeah.” He answered. 

“Can we lay here for a little while longer…pretend the last month didn’t happen?” She asked. He stroked his thumb along her jaw and smiled. 

“A month ago you hadn’t kissed me yet.” He pointed out. 

“I seem to remember it was you who kissed me. And you know what I mean.” She said as she opened her eyes. He realized they were actually brown, not black. Just really, really dark brown. “Were you watching me sleep?” 

“Checking out your ink.” He said as he touched it again. She smiled wide. 

“It’s what my mother used to call me.” She said. “Her little ‘Doe…Bo’. You got any?” He looked at her for a second before he sat up and unbuttoned his shirt. “Norman?” 

“My grand father. He was a racist old bastard but he would always tell me not to be like him. Taught me more than my father and brother combined. Let me sleep in his chair when my parents were on benders… he’d probably call you a chink but he’d like you.” 

“Great.” She said sarcastically. “My mother would’ve hated you. My step father too. They’d think you weren’t good enough for me – give you the third degree about what you did and where you lived and how white you are.” 

“Get off on that?” He asked as he leaned over her. “Dating the bad boy with a motorcycle? Defying mommy and daddy?” 

“It’s a little thrilling.” She chuckled. “Bad boys always have a tattoo.” 

“Tattoos.” He corrected her as he turned his back to her. He grabbed his shirt and pulled it over his head so she could see. She went so quiet – and he almost regretted revealing why he didn’t let her take his shirt off. 

“Nice.” She said. She felt him straighten up when she traced her fingers over the large tattoo covering his shoulder blade. “It’s right on the bone.” 

“Only hurt for a week.” He shrugged. 

“And these?” She asked as she ghosted over the scar that went diagonally across his back. He jumped away from her and hurried back into his shirt. She pouted when he closed off again. Instead of avoiding her gaze he turned to her. 

“Never mind those.” He said before he pulled her down on the sleeping bag. She smiled a little – only slightly concerned with his mood swing. He was smiling down at her as he inched his hands under her shirt. “You got any more?” 

“Mm…keep searching.” She hummed as she guided him higher. She hiked up her knees and pulled him flush on top of her. “Oh yeah...” Daryl cupped her breasts and flicked his index finger over her nipples. He leaned down and kissed her before pulling her shirt all the way up and laving over her skin. They both jumped at the sound of rapidly approaching steps. 

“Daryl. Wake up. Herschel and Rick want everyone to move their stuff in the house today.” Shane said as he shook the tent. “Got a lot to do. Double time.” 

“Cock blocker.” Bo growled and Daryl laughed.

\----

The day had a plan but like all things it got derailed. Rick was off talking with his son when he was supposed to be taking Randall out with Daryl. Bo had already kissed him goodbye and went to busy herself with chores so she wouldn’t worry. But as she was heading out to hang laundry she spotted Shane sneaking to the shed. He went in and came back out after a long moment, carting Randall with him. 

“What are you doing?” Bo finally asked when she noticed he was going the wrong direction. He moved towards the woods instead of the cars. He whipped around so fast that she didn’t even notice what happened until she felt moisture on her shirt. She looked down to see his hunting knife halfway in her right breast. She gasped and looked up at him. “What…Shane?” she choked out before he withdrew the knife. She stumbled backwards – clamping her hand over it. “Shane—AH!” She bolted when he jabbed the knife towards her neck. She felt it penetrate the side of her throat and her entire shirt was soaked as she stumbled towards the house. Her legs fell out from underneath her and she stayed still. It took a few gut wrenching minutes for Shane to believe her possum act. She was barely conscious by the time Shane walked off with Randall. The crunch of their feet in the leaves eventually fading to nothing. When she was sure he was gone she pushed herself up. “Rick…” She gasped as she fell up the stairs to the porch. Her legs kept going limp and when she entered the front door she slipped on her own blood. She caught herself on the door but knocked over a lamp in the process. “Rick!!” She screamed as loud as she could before she hit the floor. Everyone was there all of a sudden. Herschel was kneeling next to her – holding her neck while Patricia pushed down on her chest. 

“Randall’s gone—holy shit what happened to her?” T-dog asked when he came in the house. 

“Get her up on the table.” Herschel said and T-dog hoisted Bo up without any help. 

“Did Randall do this?” Daryl asked. 

“Back up.” Patricia moved him out the way. 

“Wait…” She gasped. 

“Don’t talk.” Herschel said. “Her neck first – keep the pressure on her chest.” Things were starting to blur and fade. “You’ll need blood.” Bo moved her arm and held up two fingers with her hand before she let it fall to the table. “Two…double. You’re ‘AB’.” She nodded weakly. 

“Positive or negative?” Patricia asked. Bo couldn’t speak, she could barely breathe. She mustered her last bit of strength to give a thumbs up. “Positive? AB positive!” Bo just reaffirmed her thumbs up before letting her hand drop again. 

“What’s that mean?” Lori asked as she hugged Carl to her so he couldn’t see Herschel pulling the needle through Bo’s neck. 

“She can take anyone’s blood.”

\----

The farm was under siege, on fire and in complete chaos when Bo woke up. She was still sprawled on the kitchen table – used medical supplies around her and an I.V. needle in her arm. The bag was nearly empty so she took it out rather than take it with her. She could hear Lori screaming as she ran around the house. “Wha--!!” Bo tried to talk but her throat burned. 

“You’re awake!” Carol said as she rushed to her. They both looked at the front door when they heard gun fire. “Come on. We gotta go.” She put one of Bo’s arms around her shoulders. The wound on her chest made her hiss – they only got to the front door before Bo collapse. Carol eased her to the ground as they watched the walkers encroaching on the house. Lori was screaming for Herschel but he was firing into a group of walkers. “We have to go.” Lori rushed to them and tried to get Bo off the floor but she pushed them away. 

“No time. No time. Go, now!” She rasped out. Lori and Carol looked at each other before Carol ran in the house to get Patricia and Beth. Beth tried to help get Bo up but Carol pulled her away. Lori put a glock in her hand and Bo smiled as best she could before she watched them run towards the cars. She turned back when Herschel stopped to reload. He was getting pushed back and he noticed her there. They had the same look in their eyes. They were about to die. 

Bo jumped when Rick came out of nowhere and shot a walker that was coming up behind Herschel. He ran to Bo, picked her up and put her in the car before he grabbed Herschel. 

\----

Bo woke up when someone touched her face. She had been out for a while – the sun was high and bright in the sky. She didn’t even hear the others pull up but Daryl was checking her forehead. “You made it.” She hissed before she touched her throat. Daryl tilted her chin up and looked at her bandages. 

“Herschel!” When he called for the other man it made Bo’s head hurt. He backed up when Herschel came over and peeled her bandage back. Daryl’s expression went from concern to despair and Bo wondered what they saw that made them both go quiet. A few minutes later Herschel was giving her some pills. When she swallowed she winced – her throat was on fire and it felt like someone had their hand clamped around her neck. 

“It hurts.” She said and watched Daryl stomp off to his bike. She tried to sit up but ended up flopping back down when she upset the wound on her chest. 

“You have an infection.” Herschel said as he checked the bandages on her breast. “Your throat looks pretty bad but this one isn’t affected yet. I don’t know if these will be enough – I certainly don’t have enough.” 

“Then don’t waste them. If someone else needs them—“ 

“Right now that someone is you.” Daryl said when he came back. “We ain’t gonna let you suffer.” He said as he crushed up some pills with his knife on the back of his hand. Bo could tell it bruised him to do that but he didn’t stop until it was fine enough for her to snort. “Not gonna let you die neither.” 

“Daryl I…” she trailed off and Herschel checked her pulse when she fell asleep suddenly. 

“She’ll be awake in time for her next dose. Right now we need to get out of here.” 

\-----

Bo was freezing. The top half of her body was only slightly warmer than her legs. When she opened her eyes the light from the dying fire was the first thing she saw. “Daryl.” She whispered. 

“I’m here.” He said quietly. She looked up and realized he had her cradled in his lap. His knees drawn up to keep her close and the wind from reaching her. It was dark out – and as cold as it was she knew it would only be colder in the cars. The others were all huddled around the fire. Herschel had checked her not too long ago – he wasn’t optimistic about her survival and he told Daryl this. Her fever was getting progressively worse as he held her. Even in the dim light he could see how much paler she was. 

“Daryl…” 

“Try not to talk.” He hushed her. He looked down and smoothed her hair away from her face. “Try to sleep – I can’t give you anymore oxy for a while. You’ll overdose.” When she looked at him he could see her eyes were glassy and one was blood shot and kind of crusty. For a moment he worried that Randal had infected her somehow. Whatever he stabbed her with must’ve had walker blood on it. 

“If I die—“ 

“You shut your mouth.” He said louder than he meant to. Everyone around the fire looked at him but he didn’t care. He huffed a little as he looked at her. “You’re gonna be fine.” 

“Listen to me.” She said. “If I die… I don’t want you to do it. I don’t want you to have to put me down.” 

“You crazy? I can’t let you become one of them things. I won’t!” He said and reaffirmed his hold on her. 

“I can’t ask you to kill me. I won’t make you carry that weight.” She glanced over at everyone else – making sure they were paying attention. “If I die just take me in the woods – leave me there.” 

“No—“ 

“Promise me!” She got louder and let out series of terrible sounding coughs. “Daryl…promise me.” Daryl nodded and tried to smile. He knew he looked miserable by the concerned look on her face. 

“But I won’t have to, right? We don’t have to plan for that cause you’re gonna be fine. Just don’t even think about that. You stay alive you hear. Don’t leave me…” Herschel came over with a canteen and handed Daryl a pill. 

“It’s the last one.”


	9. Chapter 9

Herschel called it a miracle and Daryl would only agree in this instance. Cause nothing short of a miracle happened last night. Daryl had nodded off – nearly cried himself to sleep as he watched Bo shiver in his arms. When he woke up she was still and for a moment he thought she had died. He didn’t move – he didn’t want to. But he knew if she had died she’d turn soon. It took Amy all night to reanimate but to the best of his knowledge Randal came back in just two hours. He moved his arm to hook it under her legs – to get her up so he could walk her into the trees like she wanted. But before he could she stirred and he froze. 

“It’s cold.” She groaned and turned into his chest. Daryl slapped his hand on her forehead and she curse at him. “The fuck?” 

“Your fever is gone.” He said before he called Herschel over. Bo complained when they moved her out of her comfortable spot against Daryl. He checked her throat, her breast her eyes and her pulse before he sat back and stared at her in disbelief. 

“It might have been the blood.” He said as he went down the list of things they possibly could have done that would make her so very sick but then cure her in a night.

“Whose blood did I get?” Bo asked. 

“Patricia’s.” Herschel answered before he looked down. “Everyone else was busy and she was also AB. The plasma just had to make its way through your system. It kicked in – made more white cells to help the antibiotics do their job.” He seemed like he didn’t believe his own explanation. His eyes were shining like they did when he talked about God. Bo was prepared to sacrifice herself – she told Beth and Carol to leave her so they could get away. So she wouldn’t drag them down. And because of that selfless act she had been rewarded. Daryl thought she still looked a little sick – like she wasn’t out of the woods yet. “Just tell me you caught Shane.” She said when she got tired of their attention. 

“What?” Daryl asked. She had been unconscious for almost two days. She missed everything Rick confessed to them. 

“He’s the one that stabbed me. I caught him taking Randall into the woods and he just…” She made a jabbing motion with her hands. “He didn’t even say anything to me.” She said. “Please tell me somebody kicked his ass.” 

“I’ll say someone did. Rick killed him.” Daryl blurted out. 

“What!?” she yelped and winced. 

“Don’t over do it.” Herschel said as he taped a new bandage over her stitches. They were still very raw and needed the extra protection now that they weren’t at the farmhouse. She was very unsteady as she sat there – Daryl’s hold on her shoulders the only thing keeping her from swaying. 

“What happened?” 

\----

Eating was hard. Bo didn’t know if it was a good thing or a bad thing that they didn’t do it that often. Daryl beat the bush nearly twelve hours a day to feed everyone. They barely had gas so they used what they had to get to the bulk supply store – only to find half the building had burned down. It must’ve been struck by lightening sometime after Bo left it and more than half the stock of food went up in flames. Glenn and Maggie carefully sifted through the other half. They got a good haul but without a place to bed down they had to leave some of it behind. After a week Lori suggested that they go back to the farm to see if it cleared out but their trip was cut off by another herd. 

Luck was finally on their side when they found a ridiculously lavish mansion – tucked away into the woods down a long driveway. It had a big stone gate but the property wasn’t completely enclosed. The owners had left the back half of the property open – using a line of trees to indicate where their land ended. The driveway was full of beautiful and expensive sports cars. Glenn let out a little squeal as he dusted them off. They were hardly fuel efficient so Rick let him know they would eventually be stripped for their parts. That night they just pushed them around the back of the house to block the back door. 

The house itself looked like someone had left in a hurry. Old food was still decaying on the table. The only body they found was that of a butler, he still had on his uniform and whoever left him there had already put a bullet in his skull. They took him out to the tree line and left him there. There was a trophy room in one of the dens – complete with classic guns and mounted animal pelts. The ancient pistols were left in place when they realized they’d never find ammo and powder for them. The only useful weapon was a simple riffle – it had a full box of ammo as well as a few other modern bullets. The basement had quite a bit of canned foods but a lot of them had botulism. They didn’t take the chance on eating the others that looked normal. Rick ended up leaving it all and blocking the door to the basement with a long table and duct tapped the space under the door. Last thing they needed was to catch a disease that caused paralysis.

The water was still running in the house, which was nothing short of miraculous. When Herschel turned the knob to test it the pipes let out a loud clang and a few other noises before it started to flow. It came out brown at first but after a few seconds it came out clear. The house had it’s own propane tank but they left it off – it would be reserved for the colder days in the winter. The house had six bedrooms and seven bathrooms – one of which was only a half bath. There were two living rooms – one with a large TV and entertainment system in it and another with nothing but a few fine couches and book shelves in it. The kitchen was grossly over sized with a six-burner stove and two ovens. Rick hid his joy over their find – if they could hide out there for just a few weeks it would be enough for him to whip everyone into shape. 

Lori, Carl and Rick took the master bedroom. Hershel was in a room by himself while Beth and Maggie shared one with two twin beds in it. Glenn, Carol and T-dog each got their own rooms and Bo simply told Daryl he could share the full bed in her room any time he liked – but he was often on night watch. 

It was odd going through the belongings left behind by the owners. From his photographs he was an elderly man with at least four children. There were three different wedding albums but the last wife he had was named Margaret – her prescription pills were still on her nightstand in the master bedroom. Herschel collected them and discovered they were just Vicodin and Valium. The owner – Duke Vansant was his name – was taking nitrates for his heart and insulin for his diabetes. There were a few photos and clothing missing so they all guessed the rich old couple had evacuated some time ago. 

They deduced that the house was their vacation home – it wasn’t nearly cluttered enough to be somewhere they lived year round. The couple probably sojourned there during the winter. The man, Duke – hunted with his boys while the mother made food and crafts with her stepdaughters. Although in real life they probably hated each other. The pantry was fully stocked although most of it was stuff that required baking and therefore use of the propane tank. Luckily, the house had lots of winter apparel. Maggie and Beth fit the clothes in the closet in Bo’s room. Bo fit Margaret’s clothes. Rick split Duke’s pants with Daryl and the shirts with Herschel. Glenn was apparently in luck as the shoes in his bedroom fit perfectly. 

Daryl stopped in his tracks when he entered Bo’s room to find Herschel putting something over the scar on her breast. It was strangely uncomfortable to watch him treat her. Daryl knew it was strictly procedure for the old man – that there was nothing sexual about how he touch her breast. Bo just smiled at him – only half her face lifted and Herschel had told them it was natural after the injury she suffered in her neck. The only thing she could do for it was a bit of rehabilitation to get the muscles to function again. She could barely lift her arms above her head – her right arm was the worst. Daryl sat down in a nearby chair to watch as she demonstrated her limited range. 

“A little higher.” Herschel said as he assisted her. 

“I’m telling you that’s all I got.” She said before she let them fall. 

“Does your neck still hurt?” 

“Only everyday.” She said as she scratched at the bandage. “Feels like that knife is still in there sometimes.” He pulled the bandage back and tentatively touched it with his thumb. 

“Any stuffness or puss?” 

“It’s stiff when I wake up but no – it’s been clean for two weeks now. I think that infection was the last one.” She said. She was referring to the sudden fever she got about a week ago. She had been playing it off – trying to hide her symptoms but she had passed out at dinner one night and spent another two days in bed until it passed. 

“One can only hope.” Herschel said. “I’ll be able to take those stitches out by the end of the week.” 

“Great, cause they’re starting to itch.” She reached to scratch it again but he stopped her. He put the bandage back on and she pulled her shirt closed. 

“If I hadn’t overseen your recovery I would not have believed it. But Bo – I think you’ll live.” He said as he stood up. 

“For now.” She shrugged. Herschel smiled a little as he left the room. Daryl shut the door behind him. Bo rubbed her face and attempted to smile at him. “Surprised to see you before sunrise.” 

“It’s my night off. T-dog is handling night watch.” He said as he took off his crossbow. She stood up and lifted her arms to wrap them around him but she couldn’t reach his shoulders. 

“Damn it.” She said. She hooked her arms under his and he chuckled a little at her embarrassment. “I better hope all the walkers I face are under three feet.” 

“You just worry about getting better.” He mumbled into her hair. 

“Could use a little physical therapy.” She bit her bottom lip as she looked up at him. He rolled his eyes at the bad joke. “Come on – blowing you works all my ‘problem areas’.”

“I’m sure Herschel meant lift some weights or something.” 

“Squeezing my hands into fists helps my dexterity. Using my arm in a repetitive motion works the muscles back up. And moving my jaw…well. Come on. You look tense.” She pulled him towards her bed and he sat down on the edge. “Doing everyday tasks like tying my shoes and taking off my clothes helps too.” She looked down at the laces of his boots before she knelt before him. With some amount of concentration she gripped one end of the lace between her index finger and thumb. She pulled it apart before she did the other. She stood up as Daryl kicked off his boots. She took a deep breath before she reached for the buttons on his shirt. Just holding her arms steady was taxing but getting her fingers to work the tiny buttons out of their holes was real work. She smiled when she managed to get them all open. 

Daryl didn’t realize the extent of her injuries – the toll being sick had taken on her body. It killed her not to be able to run or do gymnastics. She could barely hold her axe – the muscles that controlled her right arm were damaged when Shane stabbed her breast. There were countless avenues inside her neck that were crippled by the injury there – one of which were the muscles in her face. Herschel had not been optimistic about her survival but he was about her recovery. She’d never be up to the level of athleticism she was before but with a lot of hard work she’d come close.

“Mm…” Daryl tipped his head back when she kissed him. He shrugged his shirt off and moved back on the bed. She crawled after him and straddled his hips. “So what’s it gonna be tonight? Or do I get to chose?” 

“I need to be able to defend myself again… turn over – I’ll give you a back rub and work my arms.” She said and eased up so he could flip on to his stomach. 

Daryl sighed as she worked out the kinks in his back. He was very tense in such a vulnerable position. She could see his scars – she was touching them and it took every ounce of restraint he had not to curl up on his side when she did. She paused a few times to stretch her arms and rotate her shoulders. She had already come a long way – he remembered the first time she laid her hands on him – she had fumbled and cursed at how clumsy her movements were. But now Daryl was pudding under her fingers. The firm press of her wrist making his bones pop back into place. His old injuries ached less. He didn’t even mind that he was getting hard – everything felt good. He was about to doze off when he felt her lips on his ear. “Want a happy ending?” She offered. He snorted. 

“Well now I do.” He said as he turned back over. She kissed him before she reached to unzip his pants. Her arm seized up and she hissed as she held it still for a moment. “Bo--” 

“Just need a minute.” She said quickly as she stretched and flexed her fingers one at a time. She shook it a little before she went back to the difficult task of opening his pants. Once she hand them open he wiggled out of them. He sat up and kissed her. It had been a while since they had some privacy. Rick was a bit of a slave driver. Anything recreational became unnecessary. Which might explain why Glenn and Maggie were still sneaking around like teenagers. Hiding from Herschel and Rick like having sex was a punishable offence. It’s why Daryl hadn’t asked Rick if T-dog could do his shift. He asked T-dog directly. Rick would’ve asked for a reason and Daryl’s reason would’ve been to spend time with Bo and Rick would’ve given him a speech about how he was needed elsewhere.

“You’re over dressed.” Daryl said. She sighed when he pushed her shirt off her shoulders. She reached back and with great difficulty she unhooked her bra. 

“Damn it.” She sighed when her arm cramped up again. She rotated her shoulders as he pulled her bra off. When he reached for her jeans she slapped his hands away. She stood on her knees for a second and unbuttoned them. Her hands jittering a little from her atrophied nerves. “God damn pins and needles.” She growled. He flipped them over and she yelped as she was suddenly flung into the mattress. He stood on his knees and pulled her pants off by the cuffs. Bo wrestled with him a little. They wrestled a little and he nipped at her neck. “Mm…no monkey bites.” She moaned before she pushed him on to his back. 

Daryl arched up when she wrapped her fingers around his cock. There were times while she was sick that he had jerked off to relieve some tension but nothing compared to the feel of her hands on him. “Ahh…” He let his eyes flutter shut when she licked up his length. He tried not to laugh – if Herschel knew what she was doing to restore the muscles in her cheeks the man would turn red. She leaned over and swirled her tongue around the tip. Warm and moist – her lips made a soft smacking noise as she sucked the underside. Daryl gathered her hair in his hand so he could see her take him down her throat. His toes curled and he held her there for a second before he eased his hold on her. She pulled back and gasped. 

Bo looked at him for a few seconds as she teased him – holding her hand still as she swiped her thumb over the sensitive spot under the head. Daryl was growling through his teeth at her. She slid her hand up his chest and he grabbed her wrist. His head snapped back when she took him down her throat again – moving quicker and sucking so fiercely her cheeks hollowed out. She worked her hand and her lips rapidly – bringing him off so hard and fast that he bit her wrist to keep from screaming. He twisted in the sheets as he came all over her fingers. He sucked the marks on her skin until she leaned over him. She kissed him and he slipped his hand between her legs.

“Daryl…” She whispered against his lips as he clumsily rubbed her. He hesitated for a second and she knew why – for just one second Daryl had forgotten that she wasn’t physically complete. He was so used to sliding his fingers in other women that when he was met with her erection he had to take a moment so his brain could catch up. His other hand went around and squeezed her ass. She dug her nails into his chest. It thrilled her to no end that he was more comfortable with her body but Daryl still had that edge to him. Bo put it out her mind as Daryl played with her. Right now she just wished she could be louder about it. But her throat and their close quarters wouldn’t allow it. She wanted to moan as she watched him lick his own fingers – to scream as loud as she could when he slipped them inside her. She choked on air instead and bucked in his hands. Her mouth was open so he kissed her before dipping his head down to suck her nipple. He groaned when she dug her fingers into his hair and pulled.

Bo came hard. She hadn’t felt anything in her injured breast for weeks. But when Daryl put his mouth on it she felt everything – all at once. And she was coming all over his hand as she arched into him. “Fuck!” She cursed into his hair to muffle the volume. She tensed for a few seconds before she relaxed – her body acting on it’s own as she was overwhelmed by pleasure. “Daryl…Jesus…” She sighed and finally released her grip on his hair. She smoothed it back from his face before she kissed him. He reached over and grabbed a towel from the chair and cleaned them up. When he lay down she got in close to his side and rubbed her hand slowly over his stomach. She tilted her chin up for one more kiss before he dozed off. 

\----

Bo was going stir crazy and Daryl could see it. She was getting squirrelly cooped up in that house all day. As big as it was the space was finite. She wanted to get out but every time he suggested she come with him she’d shake her head and rub over her neck, cradle her deficient arm and tell him no. She’d go over a list of things that could happen that would lead to her death and then she would assure him she was fine before gazing longingly out the window in her room. Even Carol and Lori went out into the yard to hang laundry. Bo was getting increasingly paranoid – Daryl could see it when she begged him to stay. 

“Do you have to go?” She asked – using her body to distract him from the desperation in her voice. Every button he did up she slipped out of the hole as she nuzzled his neck. 

“You like rabbit better than squirrel don’t you?” He asked and cleared his throat when she inched too close to his zipper. She pulled away a little and smirked. 

“Yeah, it’s easier to chew.” She answered. 

“Well then how am I going catch rabbits if I’m burning up the sheets with you all day?” Daryl asked. “Besides if I don’t surface soon, Rick will come looking for me – you really want to see his face in the middle of it? Hm?” 

“No, I suppose not.” Bo sighed. She was quiet for a moment as he finished buttoning his shirt. “Are you happy with this?” she asked. 

“With what?” Daryl asked and eyed her as she slowly walked to the other side of the bed. 

“Fingering and handjobs. The occasional deep throat.” She answered and he snorted. “I’m serious. You don’t want more from me?” 

“What more is there?” He asked before he rapidly scratched his ‘bed head’. 

“You don’t want to be inside me?” She asked and he stilled for a second. 

“That something you want?” He answered her question with another question. He had never even attempted it. She wouldn’t ask unless it was her desire to have him that way. Bo shrugged. 

“I do enjoy it.” She said and grinned wide. 

“Yeah – I know that.” She looked down when he hinted at her one-time affair with Shane. He never mentioned it after that night on the farm – it was trivial compared to what they’d been through afterwards. They both fell into a ‘life is too short-forgive and forget’ acceptance of what she did. They never talked about it but those few words spoke volumes. And her mind was suddenly filled with all the hurtful things she knew he wanted to scream at her. But Dale’s death and Shane’s attempted to kill her had nullified his anger and left her unchecked. Bo needed someone to wipe that slate clean – restore her trust in men. Regain that intimacy she freely gave to Shane and had it come back to her in the form of a knife to the throat. “I’m not stupid.”

“I never—“ 

“I’ve seen the way your face scrunches up when I just use one.” He said as he wiggled his fingers for a second. “Anything bigger will hurt you – badly.” She knew he wanted to ask how she was able to bare it with Shane. It had been hotter then – sweat and spit lingered in the humidity. Plus Shane leaked like a broken faucet, like his body knew she wouldn’t be wet at all and over compensated with a ridiculous amount of pre-cum. She shook her head to rid herself of thoughts of him. 

“Well then we’ll need lube.” She said. “And before you ask the answer is no: lotion, shampoo or cooking oil will not work. We’ll both end up with a rash.” He just nodded as she talked. “I’m sure no one has been looting head shops for the sex toys. If you can find one I’m sure it’ll have what we need.” He looked at her sharply. “You know where one is?” she asked. 

“Yeah.” He answered. “Got about five miles west – hit a trendy little town with spas, dog groomers and…’Sarah’s Closet’ – mature novelties and curios.” He recited what the sign said and Bo laughed. 

“Perfect.” 

“You’re coming with me.” He said – matter of fact. 

“Not perfect.” 

“You want this stuff don’t you? Even if you write me a list I might come back with mint tea instead of what you want. And I doubt you want to explain to Glenn exactly why what you need is in a dildo store.” 

“I don’t know.” She looked out the window again. 

“It’s quiet out there. I’ve been doing sweeps everyday with T-dog and Rick. We each come back with nothing to report. The town was evacuated when things went down. It’s so secluded that no one would pass through it on their way out the state.” Daryl said before he took up his crossbow. “We’d be back by nightfall.” 

“Okay…okay.” She repeated. She seemed to hype herself up as she got dressed and dug her axe out from under all the stuff that had piled on top of it from her weeks of not using it. They stopped by the kitchen to grab some food before heading out. 

The trip wasn’t actually that long but Bo had to rest halfway there. She freaked out a little over the fact she had left the house at all but she just told Daryl her neck was bothering her. After a few minutes and a few rotations of her head they got back to it. “Walker.” Bo said quietly. Daryl spotted it in the trees but it didn’t see them. It stumbled out, crossed the street and continued into the bushes on the other side. Bo looked confused and Daryl licked his finger before holding it up in the air. 

“No wind. He couldn’t smell us.” He said. “Come on.” They made it to the town and found a few walkers milling about in the main street. One seemed to be asleep as they approached it. It snorted when Daryl stabbed it in the back of the scull. Bo took out the second one with two swings of her axe and winced afterward. She pressed her fingers to her chest and took a few deep breaths as Daryl took out the last one. They scoped out the building and Daryl was about to smash his way in when Bo stopped him. 

“Wait!” She hissed before she went to the circuit box in the back. She cut the lines before she knocked the lock off the back door. 

“You really think the alarm would still work?” Daryl asked as they swept the small space. Everything was perfectly in place – it didn’t look like anyone tried to hide out of take anything.

“Better safe than sorry.” She said. They blocked the broken back door with a shelf it took both of them to move into place. Some of the boxes fell off and made a racket as the contents spilled on the floor. They knew the noise would attract walkers but as they waited none came out the woodwork. They were alone for now. 

The store was dim – the front windows were tinted to keep outsiders from seeing all the naughty things inside. Daryl looked down at the plush carpeting and smirked. “Swank.” He said – all the stores he had been to like that had only tile floors just incase the customers ‘made a mess’ of themselves. He looked at all the big words the store used to keep from saying anything lewd. “Marital Aids. Massagers. Artistic nudes…this is a Hustler.” He said as he flicked the cover. Bo giggled as she looked through the ‘massage oils’ shelf. 

“Oil…oil…water, oil – A-ha!” She said as she picked up a bottle. If Daryl didn’t know any better it was just baby oil with a different label. “Silicone.” 

“Like fake tits?” He asked and snorted. 

“No…well maybe I don’t know. What I do know is that this stuff is great.” She said as she took four bottles and put them in her pack. 

“We’re gonna need something to keep Rick happy.” He said as he looked around. 

“How bout a ‘flesh-lite’.” Bo said as she held it up. Daryl looked at the odd masturbatory device – he laughed when he realized the body mold was in the shape of a mouth. 

“No I meant something to give to the group.” He said. 

“Not really anything here… vibes, videos…batteries?” They looked at each other before they cleared the entire store of it’s stock. Daryl was looking around for anything else useful and wandered into the videos. He avoided the male on male video rack like it had herpes. Oddly enough they did have a section labeled ‘Shemales’. The girl-boys on the video covers were nothing like Bo – they had hard jaw lines, huge fake tits and dicks as long at his arm. He only saw a few that were really feminine and they were in a special subsection called ‘Traps’. And even then it looked like a bunch of gay boys in wigs and makeup. They didn’t have a section for what Bo was.


	10. Chapter 10

There were a few walkers on the way back but Daryl took care of them. Hitting them right in the eye or the temple – as easily as he might flip a light switch. It repulsed Bo to see them drop like puppets with their strings cut. The sound they made when they hit the ground was sickening. Daryl just ripped his bolts from their heads and never gave them a second glance as they walked. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?” she asked. He looked at her for a second.

“For what?” He asked. 

“This. Us. Being with me.” She said. Daryl lifted an eyebrow. It didn’t really seem like she was speaking to him. 

“Yeah.” He answered anyway. “You having second thoughts?” 

“No.” She said and he knew it was a lie. Usually he couldn’t tell when she was lying – she had a good poker face and a steady nerve. But there was something off about her as they walked. “Well… maybe a little.” 

“Why?” 

“I don’t know. Just watching you kill those walkers. Things are crazy enough without some complicated relationship in the mix. I know you’ve come a long way with being comfortable around me – with my body. But you haven’t stopped making that face like you’re still turned off by me.” 

“I’m not turned off.” He admitted. “I’m confused.” 

“About what?” Bo asked. 

“It doesn’t matter.” He brushed it off and kept walking. 

“Tell me.” She prodded as she caught his arm. “If this is going to work you need to tell me what bothers you about me.” Daryl sighed but he didn’t stop walking. 

“Fine.” He started. “Promise you won’t take it the wrong way.” She crossed over her scar with her index finger and looked at him expectantly. “What do you consider yourself?” he asked. 

“You mean as part of the group?” 

“No, I mean…” He stammered. He suddenly felt so stupid and petty but she wasn’t going to let him drop it now that he said something. “Do you think you’re straight?” She chuckled and he glared at her a little. 

“Honey, I don’t think the normal genres of sexual orientation apply to me.” Bo answered. “But if I had to really think about it I’d say yes – I’m straight. After all I consider myself female. A female who likes males is straight.” 

“Were you ever attracted to girls?” Daryl asked. Bo looked like she was rolling over the question in her head. 

“Yeah but now that I think about it, it was for all the wrong reasons. When I was about eight there was a girl in Manilla that I liked, she had this really pretty dress with pink and purple ruffles on the hem and a belt with this sparkly flower on it. She always had nice clothes, her mother was a seamstress so she could pretty much sew what ever her daughter wanted and I liked her – I liked the way she looked. How she got to wear such bright colorful things. And she had such long beautiful hair.” 

“You realized you’d rather ‘be’ her than ‘be with her’.” Daryl said. 

“I must admit it’s the first time I was actually aware of my desires. I begged my mother to let me grow my hair…” She looked down for a second before she focused on him. “Are you worried about what this makes you? Cause I already told you—“ 

“I know.” Daryl interrupted. “Labels are for people who have a place for everything and everything in its place.” 

“You’re worried someone will find out what I am and they’ll start asking what that makes us.” 

“How—“ 

“Cause I know you don’t actually care what we are. But you’re starting to care what the other people in the group think. Like say…Glenn. You guys are friends now but to be honest I think he won’t really care what I am. Rick might… Herschel definitely will. Not sure what the bible says about trannies but I’m sure it’s not good. I worry about those things too. You think Beth will understand if I ever told her? She’s been sheltered her whole life – she’d be disgusted by me.” 

“It shouldn’t matter.” Daryl muttered. They walked the rest of the way in silence. They were still a ways from the house when Bo grabbed Daryl’s hand. It startled him out of his thoughts of self-loathing and he aimed his crossbow down the road. “What is it? Did you see something?” he asked. He tried to spot what it was until he heard her laughing. 

“Oh my God… I can’t breathe.” She chuckled and wiped a tear from her eye. He glared at her and she laughed harder. “Oh, baby – I’m sorry.” She finally settled down and took a deep breath. “I was just trying to hold your hand – you were glaring at the ground like it owed you money. I was going to tell you not to worry about all that but I thought the hand thing would be more comforting.” She giggled when he flushed. 

They walked the rest of the way in near silence. Bo could tell Daryl was still thinking about what they were about to do. He looked like he was trying to shit a brick so she left him alone to his thoughts. When they got back to the house Rick called for him just as they were headed upstairs. “Want me to wait on you?” She asked. Daryl’s eyebrows went up like the question confused him. It was loaded with double meanings – if he said yes that meant he would definitely come to her that night and they’d go ahead as planned. If he said no that meant he was still having second thoughts and concerns about the secret they were keeping. He looked at Rick for a second. 

“This won’t take long, I promise.” He assured them both. He was in a good mood – which was rare. Daryl decided to take advantage of his lighter spirit and nodded at Bo. 

“Yeah, go on. I’ll be up.” He said. As she went he saw the look on her face. Like she really wasn’t expecting him to come. Daryl put it out of his mind and went with Rick. It turned out he just wanted to know what they had done all day. Daryl gave him the batteries and told him about how the town they scouted would be a good place to go should the house become unsafe. Rick let him go and he headed upstairs. He was reaching for the doorknob to Bo’s room when he turned around and went in the bathroom instead. He turned on the shower and got cleaned up in the frigid water. When he was done he looked at himself in the mirror. There wasn’t anything he could do about his stubble. He had run out of razors. The next time he was out he’d have to look for an electric shaver. He fiddled with his damp hair and brushed his teeth quickly. “Stop being a pussy.” He told his reflection. “Go in there and get some.” 

Daryl found himself outside the room door again and sighed as he went in. Bo looked up from where she was already under the covers in bed reading a book. She almost seemed surprised to see him. He stood there for a second as she sat up and dog-eared her book. “Lock the door.” She instructed. He pushed in the button and fished one of the lube bottles out his pack. When he started towards the bed she turned down the bedside lamp. Daryl heard her suppress a giggle when he crawled on the bed and clumsily grabbed at her in the dark – the light didn’t reach very far. She pressed her knee in his gut and he accidentally flicked her breast. When he finally lay flush on top of her and he pressed their foreheads together. 

“Hey.” 

“Hey yourself.” She said and smiled wide. She couldn’t help being happy that he stayed true to his word. Bo slid her hands up his back. The touch made him flinch and tense up. 

“Sorry.” 

“S’ok.” He assured her. He almost sounded nervous – like he wanted to say something but didn’t know how to broach the subject. Daryl looked down at her for a long beat before he leaned in. She moved up to meet him and their lips connected in a slow kiss. They were in no rush. It was chaste and it dissolved into Bo lightly pecking his lips until she stopped to look at him. She rolled over and stood on her knees and started unbuttoning her shirt. Daryl watched like it was his first time getting a peek inside a girl’s blouse. He licked his lips when he could see the space between her breasts, then her navel and the top of her jeans. She reached down and unsnapped his belt. She palmed him through his pants and he bit his lip. 

Daryl suddenly needed his clothes off of him. He ripped his shirt open and kissed her as he shrugged it off his shoulders. He pecked along the stitches on her neck and she arched into him. He managed to get her jeans undone despite her wiggling hips. While he was shimmying out of his pants she pulled her shirt off and unsnapped her bra. With their clothes out the way they slowed back down. They looked at each other drinking in the sight of bare skin that wasn’t mangled or gray. Bo chuckled when she noticed Daryl still had a few spots of dirt on him – the man could not stay clean. She let her eyes travel down his arms, to his slight beer-belly, curly blond pubic hair and finally set her gaze on his cock. It started to fill out as if it knew she was looking. 

Daryl crawled on top of her and pulled her to him. This time she slid her tongue into his mouth and he couldn’t help the moan it drew from him. “Damn boy, forgot you’re so gifted…” She reached between them and stroked him slowly. “… Not sure you’ll fit.” He was hard in an instant and slowly grinding against her palm. He could feel her against his stomach – her hot prick making his navel wet. 

“God damn…” He sighed before he went back in for another kiss. He had almost forgotten about that. How could he? It was such a big part of what she meant to him. More than just someone to fuck – he was her confidant. The only person that knew this about her. He accepted it because no matter what it was a small part of who she was. She was a woman – a beautiful, intriguing woman. She was under his skin now. The way she spoke to him, the way she touched him. She put up with his distance, his deficiencies and his flaws. 

Bo hiked her knees up and curled her hips in until his erection was rubbing in her crevasse. Daryl felt his face heat up. She wanted him. Wanted him inside her. He had to dig his nails into his palm to keep from coming from the thought alone. Circumstances had denied him this pleasure for so long. He wouldn’t let another minute go by without fulfilling their desires. Daryl pulled away from her lips and grabbed the bottle from under his pants. She laid back and watched him. He noticed the smirk on her face and chuckled. He finally got the bottle opened and slicked himself up. He pushed her legs open wide and wet his fingers before pressing them to her hole. Bo gasped but that smirk didn’t leave her face. She was snug around his digits. He felt it when he brushed her spot – her body clenched on it’s own. Bo whimpered and tried to sit still – she was eager but preparation was important for what they were about to do. Daryl played with her like he always did until he found her spot again. She tightened around his fingers for a second before he pulled them out and guided himself in. 

“Damn girl…” Daryl growled through grit teeth. Bo dug her nails into his biceps – she still couldn’t lift her arms up to his shoulders. He was inside her in one smooth movement but once he was in it felt like all the air was pulled from his lungs. He hunched over her. She had her eyes shut tight and Daryl realized he was hurting her. He didn’t give her time to adjust before sliding all the way in. Daryl tried to keep himself under control. He wanted to come so badly – felt it building up and wanted more than anything to let loose but he gripped the base of his cock and successfully prevented it. “Fuck…fuck…” He panted as he held her hip in his free hand. He was so lost in her that he didn’t even realize how loud he was being. Maggie and Beth shared the room next to theirs but he didn’t care if they could hear his pathetic moaning. “Shit am I hurting you?” 

“Yes.” She answered through grit teeth. He pulled back but she shrieked. “No! Don’t move.” Daryl froze. “Ow ahh…ow God damn it.” She whined and held on to his arms. She shifted around like she was trying to get comfortable. He bit his bottom lip as he watched her – Bo’s expression gradually eased. She let out little mewls and squeaks as she started bucking lazily against him. She sped up for a second before her pace became leaden again. “You have to start out slow…” She looked up at him and he pressed his forehead to hers. She let out a deep sigh – Daryl felt her relax around him. She was still tight as a vise but it didn’t feel like she was resisting as much. “Have you ever done this before?” 

“Anal? Yeah.” He answered. “But the girl was a pro – barely any tread left on the tires. I thought you’d done this before.” He said as he eased down to his elbows. His biceps were starting to burn with his weight on them. His abdomen was now pressing her erection between both of them. She moaned and he could feel her tense up a little. 

“Yes ‘before’ not as a damn ‘profession’. Plus it’s been a while – gotta get used to it again.” She brought her knees up a little higher. It alleviated some of the pressure and made Daryl slide right into her prostate. “Ahh!” She dug her nails into his arms and tossed her head back. 

“Shit I’m pulling out.” He said. 

“No!”

“I’m hurting you.”

“Stay in – that feels good…” Bo ordered. She shifted again and ended up knocking her forehead against his. They both winced. “Daryl, put your arms under my legs.” He leaned back and did what he was told. Bo nudged his jaw with her knee and he rubbed his stubble against it. Daryl noticed how her toes spread at the contact – her hole relaxing even more around him. Her knees must’ve been ticklish. She mewled again when they were in place. “Ohhh…that’s better.” She blinked slowly before she looked at him. “Ok, now go slow.” He nodded before he pulled back. When he moved back in she fisted her hands in the sheets. She moaned when he did it again – unable to hold it back. He thought about pulling out but she didn’t sound as pained as before. She had a smile on her face so he kept going. 

Everything became irrelevant as Daryl moved. He was so tense – all his muscles burning as he thrust into her over and over. His lower back aching from the way he moved his hips. He tipped forward and rested on his hands. She straightened her legs and put them on his shoulders as he hastened his pace. He hit her spot more often then not. And he knew exactly when he did it – her voice would go a little higher and he could feel her entire body tremble around him. He thrust in hard and she arched up to meet it the second time he did it. He could feel her legs flexing – she was probably making fists with her toes. She bent one knee and put her foot to his chest. For a second he didn’t get why until she used him as leverage to buck against him. 

“Daryl!” Bo moaned his name like it was the best word in the English language. He dug his nails into her hip and brought her forward to get deeper. Bo made a sound like she was in pain but she didn’t tell him to stop. He looked down between them and watched as her heat enveloped him. He could barely see in the dark but he could make out where they met and the slick skin that was stretched so deliciously taut around him.

Daryl tossed his head back when he felt like he was coming. He growled and gripped himself again – stopping yet another would-be-orgasm. She shifted a bit and he noticed it when she slid her hands down her breasts. She kept going, teasing herself by going slow but finally got to her destination between her legs. He watched as she touched herself – she worked her cock the same way she would do his and he rutted into her hard. She suddenly clenched around him. 

“Oh—Ah shit!” Bo cursed as she tipped her head back. She let out a throaty moan and he could feel her entire body trembling as she came. Daryl watched as she painted her stomach white. He smirked – all his life he hadn’t been able to get a girl to come like that. He realized before he didn’t really care if they got off or not. Watching Bo climax because of how he was fucking her was a rather proud moment for him. She bucked up into him a little desperately until she finally went lax in his grip. 

Daryl picked up his pace – letting go of himself now that Bo was satisfied. He didn’t deny the feeling anymore. That hot coil in his gut finally snapped and he was coming. Bo purred - she could feel him swell and suddenly it was so hot. Their skin was drenched as he let loose inside her. He felt no pain, no worry – nothing but mind blowing completion unlike anything he had felt his entire life. 

It sent little aftershocks through him when she raked her nails down his arms slowly. Bo brought her legs down and spread them wide when Daryl flopped over on top of her and kissed her neck. He then proceeded to drool all over her breasts. Her nipples didn’t really get hard – they just kind of puffed up but he liked how soft they felt on his tongue. Bo combed her fingers through his damp hair and he looked up at her. Daryl pulled his mouth off her tit and leaned in to kiss her again.

\----

“Mmm…” Daryl jumped awake when he heard Bo moan. She arched against him as she stretched and yawned. His arms and legs were stiff and when he tried to move them he was plagued by pins and needles. They had fallen asleep tangled in each other’s limbs. She looked down at him when he pulled his face from her breasts. From her expression it seemed they were having the same thought: get up and leave. This was new for both of them and every fiber in his being told him to do it as fast as he could. Get dressed and get the hell out of there. For some reason he couldn’t look away from her and vice versa – they were stuck. Literally – when he tried to move they both hissed when their skin peeled apart. Their sweat and ejaculate had dried into a gritty paste on them. He looked down between them before he looked back up at her. Bo just shrugged – this had never happened to her before. 

“Like a bandaid?” He lifted an eyebrow and she winced expectantly. 

“Do it.” She put her hands on his shoulders to help him as he yanked away. Bo yelped and he bit his bottom lip at the sting it caused. As he moved out of bed he realized it had gotten everywhere. His stomach, between his fingers, on the inside of his thigh. The only thing worst than the pull of dry caked skin was how utterly funky they were. When he lifted the blanket the smell of old sex hit them both like a slap in the face. “Jesus.” She coughed and rolled out of bed. They both pulled on some clothes before grabbing their towels and heading for the bathroom. Unfortunately it was occupied and they had to start a line by the door. Daryl tried not to glare at anyone that passed by them. They were so odiferous it was impossible to play it off. Soon enough Beth came out the bathroom and smiled at them. 

“All yours.” She said before walking down stairs. They went in and locked the door. 

“You can have the shower first.” Bo said as she hung up her towel and lifted the toilet lid. Daryl stripped down and went behind the curtain as fast as he could. Thankfully she courtesy flushed – there was only so much intimacy he could deal with at a time. He was almost done lathering up when she came in the shower behind him. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this gross before. And that’s including while we were at the Atlanta camp.” She said as she moved around him to the faucet. Thankfully the water was luke warm instead of the regular frigid temperature. He watched the water soak her hair before it ran down her shoulders. It trailed into the small of her back and between her cheeks and before Daryl could stop himself he was grabbing her. Bo let out a squeal when he goosed her. His slippery palm smacked against her ass before he squeezed a handful. “Daryl!” She chuckled and stumbled forward a little. 

“Just helping you get soapy.” He said as he moved both hands to her hips. He got closer and rubbed himself against her back. His hands came up and smeared suds over her stomach before going to her breasts. He used a lighter touch around her stitches – careful of the freshly healed skin. He trailed one hand down until he came to her erection. He kept fooling himself and it made him suck his teeth. In his head Bo was a girl and he was so convinced of it that it made him forget in just a few seconds that physically she wasn’t. It shouldn’t matter. In fact her anatomy made it easier for him to make her come. He tightened his hold on her and brought her back until her ass was pressed to his morning wood. He took her in his hand and she grabbed his wrist. 

“Daryl, stop. You don’t have to—“ 

“Yeah well I’m gonna.” He growled in her ear. He pressed his cock into her crevasse. “So shut up and stop clenching.” 

“Ah!” She gasped when he slipped inside of her. The water wasn’t adequate lubrication but he wasn’t planning on drilling her like he did the night before. He knew she had to be sore and he could feel how she was slightly swollen. He just slid in until he reached her spot. She tensed around him when he pressed into it. Her nails dug into his wrist and the other went to his thigh to help support her suddenly weak legs. 

“Oh there it is… stay right there…” He moaned absently and started jerking her off. It didn’t take her long at all. He barely moved inside her just little thrusts into her prostate and tight grip on her cock. He let go of her breast to rub her balls instead – mimicking what he’d do to himself. 

“Uh yes!” She yelped and came all over the faucet. He pulled out and she finished him off as she caught her breath. Sighing deeply when he buried his face in her wet hair to muffle his moan. Afterwards she took up the soap and lathered their hands. Daryl’s scrubbed her clean before his hands went back to her ass again. She gasped and squirmed against him when he played around her hole. “Stop… I’m all sore from last night…” Daryl relented and they rinsed off.


	11. Chapter 11

The house caught on fire during a thunderstorm. The conditions couldn’t have been worse. Lori had been doing laps around the living room – trying to get some comfort from the little contractions she was having. Bo was making dinner while Carol kept Lori company. The men were doing whatever it was they did when the bolt lit up the sky. The thunder made the dishes in the cabinets rattle. Bo looked up for a few seconds before she went back to poking the sizzling meat in the pan. The rain sounded like it picked up – the wind howling so loud Bo thought the roof might rip off any second. 

A second lightening strike and the house shook violently. Beth could be heard screaming and all hell broke loose. A walker broke through the back door and Bo took off out the kitchen. As the walker went after her it knocked the pan of grease onto the stove and kitchen went up in smoke in just a few minutes. Bo raced upstairs to get her belongings only to find the hallway full of smoke. She tripped over Maggie as she crawled down the hall. They all managed to get their stuff and get out but the rain made their escape harrowing. Rick didn’t let the caravan stop until the following morning. It was still drizzling out and they were all wet and miserable. It was only the start of their struggle. 

The rest of the winter was hard. They barely stayed in one place more than a night and it seemed like every time they thought they could stay walkers swarmed the place. Lori was overdue, Daryl brought back nearly nothing on his hunting stints. On the bright side the weather was warming up and that meant the animals would be venturing out of hibernation. Unfortunately the walkers were becoming more and more mobile. They finally found some luck when they took over the prison. But once again they were threatened. There was a small group of prisoners that survived in the cafeteria. They insisted they could be trusted but Rick only gave them options that kept them clear of their group. That didn’t keep them from being seen in the yard though.

Bo could feel eyes on her back as she helped Daryl carry bodies out of their cellblock. Her arm was acting up from all the heavy lifting they were doing. The scar tissue in her neck and chest felt like it was on the verge of pulling apart. And the smell was making her stomach do flips. She had held off all morning but when the corpse they were carrying split in half she turned around and threw up. Daryl finished chucking the body in the pile with the rest before he took off his gloves and went to her. “You okay?” he asked as he rubbed her back. She was shaking violently as she heaved. She had her hair tied back but he still smoothed a few strands back from her forehead to check her temperature. She wasn’t hot – a little sweaty by not feverish. 

“No.” She sobbed as she tried to pull herself together. Daryl looked up for a minute. He knew she didn’t like to kill things or deal with dead things but Rick hadn’t given her a choice when they cleared out the yard and the cellblock. She couldn’t cry about it without her sobs echoing in the halls. They hadn’t been able to fool around so there was no release for the tension – it festered inside her and without a vent it made her ill. 

“We’re almost done.” He tried to sooth her. She nodded quickly and rocked back and forth a little.

“You okay?” They both looked up when one of the prisoners came to the gate that divided their yards. Daryl didn’t like any of them but their defacto leader was the most disturbed out of all of them – some wide-eyed Mexican psycho. His dark gaze devoid of the normal human spark – it was like Daryl could read the man’s mind and see all the horrible, nasty things he had rolling around in his brain. He knew Merle’s thoughts often verged on the depraved but this guy made Daryl’s skin crawl and that said a lot.

“Yeah.” She brushed him off but he just kept staring down at her – not blinking as he tilted his head to see down her shirt just a little more as she leaned over to spit. 

“You pregnant?” He asked when he noticed the puddle of sick in front of her. 

“No.” She rolled her eyes as she stood up. 

“You wanna be?” He asked before he bit his bottom lip. Daryl smacked his arm against the fence – startling him into backing up. He followed Bo back to the door. He pulled the bandana out his back pocket and offered it to her along with a bottle of water. She took both – using the water to wash the grit out her mouth. She put the bandana to her nose for a moment. It smelled like Daryl. It wasn’t a good smell – in fact it was a mix of musk and woodsy stink but she was used to it. She had grown to love his scent it was familiar and comforting. It made her stop shaking and her stomach didn’t churn when she caught sight of another corpse to be haled away. Daryl took it from her and tied it over her nose. 

“Better?” he asked and she nodded. 

\----

“Are you okay?” Bo looked up when she realized Rick was talking to her. He had his hand on his gun and he was standing in the doorway to her cell. “Daryl mentioned you got sick today.” 

“I’m fine.” She said. “I’m not bitten.” She knew that was his main concern. “I’ve never had a stomach for this kind of stuff. Walkers or regular people – dead bodies aren’t my thing.” 

“You need to find a way to be okay with it – we’re not done yet.” He said. She bit back what she really wanted to say to him. He said that like she could just magically be okay with it the next time she had to deal with a rotting corpse. Cold, gelatin like skin and that ever present stink of old, decaying flesh that got stuck in the back of her throat. She put Daryl’s bandana to her mouth when she gagged just thinking about it. Rick noticed and took a step in her cell. “Are you pregnant?” he whispered. She tried not to roll her eyes – sometimes she thought it would be easier to just tell everyone what she was that way they’d stop assuming she had the normal problems of a female not on birth control. 

“No.” 

“Cause I know you and Daryl—“ 

“He knows how to pull out.” She interrupted. He looked a little surprised by her jab. “I think that’s as far into my love life I’m gonna let you. If this has been sufficiently awkward then I’ll spare you the details on my ‘monthlies’ too if you don’t mind.” Bo knew the sure fire way to get any man to go away was to start talking about menstruation. It didn’t matter how old they were or how long they had been married – the thought of a visit from Aunt Flo made men cringe. They could deal with blood and guts but when it came out a woman’s vagina it made them sick. Rick just smiled sheepishly and headed out. He nearly ran into Daryl and side stepped as the other man came in. 

“Hey.” He said and looked over his shoulder to see if Rick was gone. “Look what I found.” He held up the bottle of lube they had taken from ‘Sarah’s Closet’ and she snorted. Most of the bottles had been in her pack but during all their moves she had lost track of it. Apparently Daryl had squirreled away his own bottle and found it while they were settling in. 

“Mmm…I’d love to but there’s a slight issue with privacy in here.” She said before she gestured to the open cell door. “Unless you wanna go to solitary… but we might get locked in.” 

“I got something better. C’mon.” He said. She got up and went to her sink. 

“I doubt you wanna taste what I had for lunch.” She said before she brushed her teeth. She looked at him when he started rolling up her sleeping bag. When she was done he took her hand and led her outside. Glenn was keeping watch with Maggie, although he doubted they could see beyond each other’s faces. 

“Keep up the good work.” Daryl said and they jumped apart. 

“Where are you two headed?” Glenn asked. Daryl just nodded at the guard tower right by the outer check-point gate. 

“What’s in there?” Bo asked quietly. She walked a little closer to him than necessary – the field was secure but besides Daryl’s lantern it was pitch black. 

“Nothin’ yet.” He said as he opened the door for her. She went up the stairs – a little wary in the dark. She reached the top and opened another door and looked out the grimy windows at the woods beyond the gate. The quiet was unsettling. Daryl set his crossbow and lantern down and spread out the sleeping bag on the floor. It looked like he had spent the evening clearing the chairs and left over garbage out of the tower. It still had a phone but Bo knew there would be no dial tone. Daryl grabbed her hand and pulled her down to the sleeping bag. “Hey.” 

“Hey yourself.” She said and smiled at him. “There some particular reason you brought me out to your ‘creep-shed’?” 

“I thought that would be obvious.” He said. “I know you hate being in the cell so I thought we’d spend the night out here.” 

“It’s nice.” She said as she gazed out the windows at the stars. “Does that door lock?” She asked. Daryl leaned up and sure enough it had a dead bolt on it. He turned it and Bo slid her hands up his back. Normally it would’ve made him jump or twitch but he just arched back into it. He turned to her and she laid down. She held out her arms and he eased on top of her before he kissed her. It had been so long since they had been able to – he was surprised how much he missed it. It wasn’t like him. She leaned up more when he pulled back. It seemed she missed their kissing as well. “Daryl…” Bo sighed and gripped his arms. He sat up and started taking his clothes off. They’d have time to kiss later. Right now he felt like he would die if he didn’t get inside her. Bo giggled when he grabbed her wrists and pulled her up until she was straddling him. “Want me to ride you?” 

“Yeah.” He grunted as his back hit the floor. She stood up for a second and shimmied out her jeans. She grabbed his shoes and pulled them off and couldn’t help but laugh at the look on his face when she yanked his pants off. 

They reveled in the tactile sensation of skin to skin contact. Bo loved tracing the contours of Daryl’s muscles. She tried not to laugh at his odd tan – his arms and face were all bronze but his chest and everything else covered by his clothes was almost lily white by comparison. Where ever she touched him was marked with warmth. He tried not to jump when the slight caresses teased him. He couldn’t help it – nails digging into his skin he could handle but the way she ghosted her fingers over his stomach and up his sides made him gasp. His muscles twitched seemingly on their own. When she leaned over to kiss him her hair tickled his chest and neck. She washed it recently – he liked the smell of it, it sent a little charge through him.

Bo couldn’t help the way she bit Daryl’s bottom lip when he slid his slick fingers inside. Her cock filled out and he didn’t seem to mind when she rubbed it against his stomach. He put his free hand to the small of her back to keep her still. She adored Daryl’s fingers – they were rough but not too coarse. When he stroked over her prostate she gasped and bucked hard. He moved his free hand to her breast and she grabbed his wrist. She took up the bottle of lube and spread some on Daryl’s cock. She giggled when his hips jumped off the ground at her touch – it was like someone put a hot poker under his butt. “Fuck, girl… c’mon…” Daryl pulled his fingers from her and held himself steady as she got into position. When she impaled herself on him they both moaned as loud as they wanted. No one could hear them and even if they could they’d just have to deal with it. It felt too good to be quiet. Bo pressed down until Daryl was all the way inside. She let out a long deep sigh once she adjusted. Bo was hot and tight and she dug her nails into his chest as she started bouncing on top of him. Her little tits were right in his face and she screamed louder when he latched on to one. 

“Daryl! Daryl!” She leaned over and braced herself on her hands – giving him a chance to thrust up into her. “Mm! Fuck me—AH!” 

“What you think I’m doing?” He growled as he held her to him and bucked into her harder. She cupped his face and kissed him. Working her tongue around his and moaning like he was the best thing she ever tasted. He sucked at her lips and pressed his tongue into hers. Daryl could feel her tensing up – her thighs locked against his sides and she started grinding down into him harder. She was coming and he felt it on his stomach when she did. “Shit—“ He hadn’t even touched her cock but he knew he was hitting her spot. 

“Yes! Yeeessss…” She purred. Daryl kept thrusting into her tightening hole and bit his bottom lip when she nipped at his neck and ears. He was so close. It was almost excruciating that he couldn’t get that final push over the edge. His balls ached and his cock throbbed as he pressed into her. “Daryl…” she mewled his name and he felt his face heat up. He looked at her and she licked her lips. “Come inside of me.” 

“Shit!” He peeked so hard his toes curled. He arched his neck back and howled as he let loose inside her. She sighed when his cock swelled slightly. She rolled her hips from side to side - it was sinful how good it was. 

“Mm… just like that…” 

Daryl felt like he melted from the waist down. Little shocks under his skin pinged up his back, to his nipples, out to his fingertips - every follicle in his head and the soles of his feet. He relaxed against the sleeping bag as he caught his breath. She shifted up and he slid from inside her. Bo peppered his jaw with kisses. He turned his head and caught one on his lips. He turned on his side so he could get his arms around her. She pulled him closer and they groped each other until they came up for air. “Damn girl…” he sighed as he sat up. She sprawled out and stretched as he grabbed his pants and fished out a crinkled pack of cigarettes and a lighter. 

“That was great.” She said and smiled at him as he lay back down. He blew smoke up at the ceiling before he offered her the cigarette. She took it and inhaled a slow puff before she blew some smoke rings. She took another hit before passing it back. 

“Yeah, sorry about not making it last longer.” He said and flicked the ash on the floor next to the sleeping bag. 

“Fuck that.” She scoffed. “Duration does not matter. If you can make me come in two seconds more power to you. Nobody wants to fuck for five hours. That’s a virgin-myth. Even Tantric has it’s limit.” 

“You’re so classy.” He said sarcastically. She flipped him the finger and he smacked her butt playfully. 

“Lady in the streets and a freak in the sheets.” Bo chuckled. “Speaking of which I didn’t know you liked dirty talk.” He shrugged. 

“Depends on the voice. Listening to my brother say nasty shit makes my ass itch but when you say… those things… I like it.” He admitted. 

“Then I’ll make sure to tell you about every dirty thing I want you to do to me.” She said. “Like how much I want your tongue in my mouth right now…” Daryl snorted and leaned over her again. “And your hands on my tits.” She added before their lips connected. He smiled and moved his free hand to squeeze her breast. He devoured her mouth until the cherry from the cigarette fell on his finger. He pulled away and hissed. He snuffed out what remained of the cigarette before he sucked the slight burn to sooth it. She bit her bottom lip as she watched him. She didn’t know when Daryl had grown on her. She tried to think back to the first moment she saw him at the Atlanta camp – how she didn’t like anything about him. His hair, his face, the way he smelled and how he talked had turned her off at first. But now she was smoothing his hair back so she could see more of his face. The air in the guard tower was thick with the smell of smoke and sex – heady and intoxicating. He growled a little as he pulled his mouth off his finger. His deep voice made her tremble. “Mmm what’s your favorite part?” she purred. 

“Of your body?” He asked as he rubbed his nose against hers. They normally weren’t so cuddly but it had been a long time since they had a room to themselves – let alone time to have more than a quickie handjob. With the fences and locking doors Rick had all but dissolved the night watch. He did it himself when he couldn’t sleep. As for everyone else they were free. Daryl had all night to lick and grope any part of her but he had never really thought about what he liked best. He tipped his head down and laved over her breast.

“My body, my personality, sex with me – pick one.” She clarified as she traced her fingers where she knew his tattoo was in his back. He pulled his mouth off her nipple and looked up for a second. “Safe to say my breasts are your favorite part of my body. You suck them like you were ‘bottle-fed’.” 

“Yeah. Your skin is really soft.” He agreed as he gently squeezed them. “Y’known Merle may have been wrong – you’re bigger than an ‘A’.” 

“I’ll have you know I’m a B-36.” She said and crossed her arms so he couldn’t touch them anymore. He smirked and looked at her face instead. 

“I suppose what I like about ‘you’ most is your sense of humor. You’re so blunt – most people sugar coat things or just keep their mouths shut. You know who you are… who you were, what’s important now.” She smiled at him. “As for sex I like everything. Kissing, being in you, how you get all high pitched when you’re about to bust a nut.” He shifted on to his side so he could look at her. “What about you?”

“Cock, arms, hands – in that order.” She said quickly. “And I suppose if you didn’t squint so much I’d be able to see your pretty eyes better.” Daryl lifted his brow and opened his eyes as wide as he could – which wasn’t very much. He had hooded eyes and he tended to squint. Bo laughed and stroked his cheek – she wondered if his squinting meant he needed glasses. “Mm… that scratchy voice, the way you moan when I’m making you come—“

“You skipped ‘personality’.” He interrupted. 

“You’re sweet, Daryl.” Bo started as she cupped his face. “But yet you’re somehow still an asshole – you’re multi-talented. You do the right thing without having to be asked or begged. Most men with your skills would exploit people now a days. Leave a group of rubes in the lurch after taking everything you could… but instead you risk your life to keep others safe and fed. I can let go of how things were because I have you.” 

“Damn girl – lay it on thick.” He said as he pulled her closer. “Make me want you more.” 

“Mmm… give me a few minutes. My legs are still shaking from the last time.” She admitted and they smiled at each other. 

\----

Things got hectic and it was hard to keep track of the day to day. Somehow they became involved in a ‘war’ with a neighboring survivor camp called Woodbury. The man that ran the place was grade A crazy and sending Rick to deal with him may have been a mistake in retrospect. The prisoners that survived were all dead, mostly because of the group’s initial arrival at the prison. Lori survived child birth but the baby didn’t start breathing on it’s own and despite Herschel’s efforts it died. As did any chance of Rick and Lori patching up their marriage. Everyone took it really hard. The baby had represented hope and after they buried it things just got worse with the Governor. He started kidnapping people. If there was a bright side it would be that Daryl found his brother and he was all too happy to switch teams to be with his family. Rick opposed it at first but Daryl threatened to leave if he didn’t let Merle join them. And when Michonne didn’t object neither did anyone else – but then again Rick still wasn’t giving them a choice. 

“What you think about the new girl?” Daryl asked as he helped Bo clean guns. It had been the only useful thing she learned from her time spent with Shane. Although she still didn’t like using them. 

“Michonne? She’s hot.” Bo answered. Daryl nearly dropped the part in his hand. “You wanna have a threesome I need to explain to her what I am first though.” 

“What the fuck? I was just asking whether or not we could trust her, you little nympho.” Daryl chuckled. Bo laughed a little sheepishly and cleared her throat. 

“Well she seems to not want to kill us despite how Rick treated her when she first got here. So… she’s alright I guess.” 

“Just alright?” Daryl asked. “A second ago you wanted to diddle her.” 

“Honey you know how my emotions work – they don’t. When I’m disappointed, worried, scared or just escaped a near death situation I want to screw around afterwards.” She lowered her voice a little. “We haven’t been able to lately…” 

“Shrinks would have a field day with you.” Daryl said and shook his head. He shifted his knee over and nudged hers. He joked even though he felt the same way. Lately when the day ended and he was still alive he wanted to grab her and screw until his dick fell off. But there would always be something to distract him from finding her and then finding a place to be alone. 

“Is that your way of telling him he’s not satisfying you in the bedroom?” Merle asked as he came up to them. He sat down at the table and took the clip out his machine gun. “Give him a break – it’s been a busy two weeks. His dick has been too scared to come out and play.” 

“That and our ‘honeymoon’ suite is blocked by walkers now thanks to the Governor’s walker-bomb.” Bo said and rolled her eyes. 

“I’ll have you know my dick is never scared, darlin. You may be a slant but if you need a good ‘doing’ just let me know.” Merle said. 

“Why? So you can locate someone with a set of balls?” Bo asked. Merle grinned and bit his lip. He and Bo had developed a very odd friendship. She tolerated him because he was Daryl’s brother but it seemed she liked him because he was the only person with a mind dirtier than hers. Maggie didn’t like sex jokes and Beth blushed at even the tamest of toilet humor. 

“I knew you liked tea-bagging. You chinks and your tea.” Merle said. “Is that what you do to him to keep him so whipped?” He hiked his thumb at Daryl and he flipped Merle the finger. 

“No, my pussy is actually magical.” Bo said and gestured with her hands in an arc over her head. “I could rub it on your face to fix that skin thing you’ve got going on.” Merle just stuck out his tongue and curled it. Daryl rolled his eyes at them. 

“Girls you’re both pretty – can we go hunting now?” Daryl asked. 

“Depends on if Bo wants to bring her new girlfriend.” Merle said and looked over her head. Bo turned around and smiled seeing Michonne standing there. 

“Sure.” Michonne shrugged. 

They set out in the opposite direction of Woodbury. It wasn’t hard to spot the Governor’s spies and where they had been hanging out in the woods. They hadn’t gone east in a while and it was quiet most of the way. Michonne took out walkers like she was swatting a fly while Bo kept her eyes out for anything they could eat. She stopped to gather some edible berries and walnuts – half of which they ate while out on the trail. They were coming around a large rock formation when Bo stopped. Michonne nearly bumped into her and caught herself by grabbing Bo’s waist. She held one hand up and Daryl and Merle stopped in their line. Bo tapped her ear – signaling them that she heard something. She held up two fingers and then moved them like they were legs – two walkers. She peered around the rock for a second before she came back around, an odd look on her face. She gathered them around so she could whisper. 

“It’s not walkers.” 

“People?” Daryl asked. They all looked up when there was a loud grunt in the direction where they were. 

“Yeah – they’re totally just over there screwing.” Bo said. Michonne looked very serious for a second before she snorted. That was the first time any of them saw her smile. 

“Let’s give them some privacy.” She suggested and started in the opposite direction. They all stopped when another growl could be heard. 

“That’s definitely a walker.” Merle said. They all peered around the rock again and watched the couple for a few seconds. The man was definitely alive, he was muttering swears and moving too well to be dead. But as they watched it became clear the ‘woman’ was actually tied to the tree – her gray hands bound by ropes and bungee cords. Her blond hair was dirty and matted and her clothes were muddy. She grunted when the man thrust into her and she turned her head to snap at him. She was a walker! Not a very decaying or a particularly gnarly walker but she was very dead all the same. She continued to snarl and tried to bite him as he fucked her. 

“You’re starting to dry out.” The man said and she growled showing that someone had knock out all her teeth – her jaw looked dislocated as well. “Aww don’t take it that way.” He continued to talk to it as they quickly ran off – trying to be as quiet as they could. They got at least half a mile away before Merle couldn’t hold in his laughter. They all stopped to catch their breath and tried not laugh over what they just saw. 

“I think I’m gonna puke.” Daryl said but he was smiling a little. 

“I don’t think I’ll ever be that hard up.” Bo said. 

“Aww, you telling me if Daryl turned you wouldn’t keep him around to party with?” Merle asked. Bo made a face. 

“Weekend at Bernie’s style.” Michonne scoffed. “Puts a whole new meaning to the word ‘stiffy’.” 

“God I hope the deer don’t graze over there.” Bo said as they went on their way.


	12. Chapter 12

“Oh my God.” Bo gasped. Daryl, Merle and Michonne stopped in their tracks and looked around warily. 

“What is it?” Michonne whispered. 

“You don’t smell that?” Bo asked before she suddenly ran off. They went after her and nearly lost her between the trees. Daryl tripped over her when they came to a clearing and she was just standing there. They all smiled wide at the sight of the orange grove. Some of the trees were dead and one looked like it had been struck by lightening but there were still at least ten rows of the trees – all in bloom with fresh fruit. 

“Damn girl. You’re like a blood hound.” Merle said as he jabbed her playfully with his elbow. She smiled and took out her map. She circled their location before she started towards the trees. Daryl grabbed her arm and held her back. 

“Hang on.” He said. He put his fingers in his mouth and whistled as loud as he could. It echoes in the small valley and all they heard in reply was the wind. 

“Walkers eat meat.” Merle pointed out as he started towards the trees. Despite his statement his steps were cautious and slow. 

“Get as many as you can carry.” Michonne said as she started cutting fruit from the taller branches. 

“Not the ones off the ground.” Daryl said to Bo as she bent to get one. 

“Why not?” She asked as she picked it up anyway. She turned it over and let out an ear-piercing scream when she saw there was a large millipede nested in it. She flung it away and shuddered. 

“I told you.” Daryl chuckled as he climbed one of the tall trees effortlessly. He plucked a few and waited until she was below him to drop it. 

“It’s just a little bug, girly.” Merle said – his mouth already full of the first slice of the orange he had already peeled open. He handed her a piece and she took it. Bo smiled and sighed as she devoured the fruit. It had to be the best tasting thing they had eaten in a while. 

“Mmph!” She moaned and smacked loudly as she helped him finish it. Merle chucked the peel over his shoulder. 

“These’ll make Herschel happy. Oranges have a bunch of curative properties.” Michonne pointed out as she gatherer a bunch and shoved them in her bag. Bo went back to catching the ones Daryl dropped down to her in her upturned shirt. When she couldn’t hold anymore he jumped down and she released them into his backpack. Bo looked around a little and smiled wide over another discovery. She immediately went over and started stripping the branches of the trees. They were considerable shorter than the orange trees and Daryl thought they were more berries until he went over to her. 

“What are these?” He asked. He had never seen the nut before and when he popped one in his mouth he immediately spit it out. Somehow the shell was rubbery and hard at the same time.

“Pistachios!” She sang before she cracked one open. “Don’t eat the shell – see, only the green and purple part it edible. And we gotta boil them in salt so the shells are easier to get into.” He looked at the odd little nut between her fingers before he glanced at her. “Open up.” Daryl smirked and let his mouth fall open. Bo fed his the pistachio and he closed his lips around her fingers. She giggled – he didn’t care that she had dirt on her skin or that the nut was undoubtedly tasteless. She yelped when he nipped her in an attempt to chew the nut without fully biting down. 

“Not bad.” He said before he started storing the nuts in his pockets. 

“They’re good protein.” She said. When Daryl reached for another branch a gray hand shot through the tree and grabbed his wrist. Bo screamed and Merle sucked his teeth. 

“Woman if you’re gonna scream over every little—Shit!” He cursed when he saw the walkers surrounding her and Daryl. He killed the one holding on to his wrist and pushed Bo behind him towards Merle. “Move out – we got enough for today.” He let Michonne and Bo run ahead of him before he covered Daryl. They ran until they were sure the walkers had fallen behind. They were quiet on the way back to the prison. Merle had fallen into a mood over something so Bo hung back next to Daryl as he trudged ahead of them. Daryl was absently rubbing the bruise forming on his wrist where the walker grabbed him.

“I’m sorry about that.” Bo whispered to him. Daryl just shook his head. 

“Not your fault.” 

“Yes it was! Your god damn wailing is gonna get us killed.” Merle yelled as he whirled on her. Daryl instinctively got between them. “You need to get a damn grip if you’re gonna come out here. Even she knows you gotta stay quiet.” He hiked his thumb towards Michonne. “I don’t care how good you are at finding shit – you can’t stop screaming like a whore in a horror movie then stay your ass at the prison!” Bo glared at him until he turned around and kept walking. Michonne just kind of looked at her – she’d never say Merle was right out loud but he was. Even after all this time she hadn’t gotten a handle on her fear of walkers. 

\-----

“Train me.” Merle looked up when he heard Bo. His expression that of complete and utter surprise that she was talking to him. Let alone what she had just asked. He laughed – her face was far too serious to be anything but laughable. 

“Seen too many chink movies, honey. I ain’t no ‘grand master’. Get out of here.” He scoffed. 

“No.” she said and moved further into his cell. “Without me you guys will only find half of what you do when I’m there. You need me but… you’re right – I’m too afraid of those things. I’m afraid of the people we’ll find out there. I’m afraid something will happen to Daryl—“ 

“Not with me there. Ain’t nothing gonna happen to him.” Merle boasted. “Your skinny ass won’t survive my training. Just stay here with the rest of the pussies.” 

“Look here.” She said and yanked her shirt open. The button popped off and hit him in the shoulder. “You see this? This happened because I was too trusting – too reliant on other people. I never want this to happen ago. I don’t want to be that person anymore. I never want to be a weight on Daryl like I was—“ 

“You mean like you are.” He interrupted before he focused on her scars. “Who did that?” 

“Shane.” She answered. It felt very odd saying his name. She hadn’t in so long. No one mentioned him and she hadn’t thought about him until now. Even when she was struggling to rehabilitate her arms. She just thought of Daryl – wanting to be able to put her hands on his shoulders or reach up and cup his face. She put Shane out of her mind when Daryl told her he was dead. She’d never be able to get revenge and spending time wondering why he did what he did was a waste. She had other things to do and right now she needed to be stronger. 

“I’m surprised you survived.” Merle snorted. He looked her up and down when she didn’t leave. “Why don’t you get Daryl to train you?” 

“We both know he’d be too gentle. I don’t have time for that.” Bo said. 

“What do you know about guns?” 

“Nothing.” She shrugged. 

“Have you ever killed anyone?” 

“No.” 

“Can you lift more than fifty pounds?” He asked. 

“I can lift the laundry basket when it’s full of wet clothes.” Merle put his face in his hand and dragged it down in a frustrated gesture. 

“I’ll let you know by tomorrow.”

\-----

“Yes… oh shit, yes!” Bo clung to Daryl as she sank lower on to his cock. He pressed his forehead to hers and she opened her eyes. They smiled at each other – it was a little awkward waiting for her to adjust to his size but it was nice being so close. Daryl rubbed his stubble along her shoulder and she yelped. Her fingertips were nice and soft along his sun burnt shoulders. He rubbed her thighs slowly – trying to help her relax. She was a little tense – the pain making her nervous and uneasy. But she smiled wide and ground down a little harder. “Oh damn…”

“That good hm?” he asked as he squeezed her hips. She huffed and rocked from side to side. 

“Shit, yeah.” She moaned and lifted up a little. “Ahh…” She put her head back as she eased down again. “You’re right on my spot.”

“Speed it up—“ 

“Nuh-uh.” She protested and cupped his face. “We got nothing to do and no where to go. We are gonna take our time and fuck for at least five minutes.” Daryl chuckled and flipped his hair out his face. She combed her fingers through it and smoothed it back so she should see his eyes.

“Don’t make me laugh – I’ll go soft.” 

“Excuses, excuses.” She sang. Bo started bucking against him slowly and he buried his face in her neck to muffle the pathetic sound he made. She guided one of his hands to the small of her back. “Hold me up here.” 

“Mm.” He hummed and ducked down to suck her breasts. 

“Ohh…” Bo squirmed in his lap. Daryl laved at her skin until he felt her loosen up around him. 

“You ready now, ain’t ya?” He said and lifted her up a little. 

“Fuck yeeesss… Dar—“

“Daryl!” They jumped when Merle banged on the door to the guard tower. One knock was all they got before he let himself in. Daryl rolled them over to shield Bo from his sight. He doubted his brother was ready to set eyes upon Bo’s unique physique. And he really didn’t feel like answering any of Merle’s dumb questions so he made sure all Merle could see were her legs wrapped around his back. 

“The hell man? Get out!” Daryl said over his shoulder. Merle ignored him as well as the view of his ass. 

“Oh good she’s here – I thought you were in here jerking off by yourself. Let’s go, china-doll.” Merle said as if there was nothing out of the ordinary about him walking in on them having sex. 

“Are you serious? Now?” Bo asked. “I’m kind of busy.” 

“Now or never.” Merle said. 

“Ugh! Fine, get out so I can get dressed.” She said. 

“I’m good here.” Merle said and leaned against the doorframe. “Been dying to see what Daryl’s so strung-out about.” Bo rolled her eyes and moved so only her top half could be seen. 

“There, boobs. Now wait for me downstairs.” She said and pointed out the door. Merle shrugged and left. She sighed in relief. 

“What’s that all about?” Daryl asked. 

“He’s gonna teach me to use guns.” She answered. She eased back and sighed when Daryl slid from inside her. 

“No I meant showing him your tits.” Daryl said. Bo laughed when she saw the serious look on his face. 

“Don’t worry, baby.” She cooed as she cupped her breasts. “They’re still all yours.” She pulled on her panties and tucked herself in. Daryl just lay back on the sleeping back and watched her get dressed. He often wondered how she hid her penis in her tight jeans and it was like some sort of magic trick to see it one minute and then nothing the next as she buttoned up. She pulled on her bra and shrugged on her shirt before she grabbed her axe. “We won’t be back until tomorrow.” She leaned over and kissed him. 

“Damn, I’m gonna get blue balls.” 

“You and me both.” She chuckled.

\-----

“So what’s first? Fist fighting. Gun shooting. Are you gonna-AH!” Bo yelped when Merle slapped her. It wasn’t very hard but it took her by surprise. “Ow—“ 

“No complaining.” He said and smacked her again. “And if you start crying I’m out.” Bo kept her mouth shut and pushed down the urge to start crying. She blinked away her tears and glared at him. “Get that lip sucked back in – I see it quiver and you’re getting another slap.” She bit her lip and he smiled. “This ain’t a movie or a tv show. You don’t learn quick out here you die. You can’t always run – I seen how fast you are, that can’t always save you.” He said as he started walking. She followed him and squeaked when they came across a walker tied to a tree. “Look at this thing.” 

“It’s a walker.” She shrugged. He grabbed her and put her closer to it – so close she screamed and leaned back from fear it might bite her. 

“Yeah but you know how he sees you? You’re walking, screaming dinner.” Merle barked as he pushed her against the thing. 

“Stop! It’s gonna bite me—AHH!” She shrieked when it’s teeth closed down on the collar of her shirt. 

“Your screaming is not stopping it – there’s a surprise.” Merle chuckled. Bo pushed back against him but Merle was stronger than her. 

“I said stop!” She flung her arm back and hit him in the nose hard enough that he let her go. She fell back. 

“Nice shot.” He snorted before he moved to cut the walker free. It stumbled after him first but he punched it and it fell to the ground next to Bo. It snarled and grabbed her hair. She screamed and struggled with it – barely able to see through her own locks as it tried to bite at her face. She heard something metallic fall beside her and looked over to find out it was a small hunting knife. “You never killed one have you?”

“Help me!” 

“I am.” Merle said as he leaned against the tree. 

“You fucker—“ Bo rolled the walker over and grabbed the knife. She stabbed it in the eye and it stopped short of tearing into her neck. It collapsed on the ground and released her hair. “You are a real shit stain Mer—What! What are you doing?” She stood up when he grabbed her hair and kept pulling. 

“This is going to get you killed – allow me.” He said as he put his knife to her hair. 

“No!” She dug her nails into his hand and he let her go. “Don’t! I’ll braid it – just for the love of God let me keep my fucking hair.” 

“Fine.” Merle said and watched her as she braided it quickly and tucked in the back of her shirt. He looked her up and down as she dusted herself off. “This whole ‘sexy-runner’ thing you have going on is only gonna get you in trouble.” 

“But—“ 

“You can still run in biker boots and they’ll protect you from ankle biters. And I’m sure you’re proud or whatever of your scars but I can see all the way down your shirt. Little tits ain’t my thing but some scum bag out there might not be so picky. Speaking of which…” He grabbed her again and pinned her to the tree. “You know how to defend yourself against—uuf!” He grunted when she kneed him in the crotch. She then jabbed him in the throat and when his eyes bulged open she shoved her index fingers into them. “Ahh! Shit!” he fell back to nurse his new aches. When he recovered he looked at her shocked. She took a step back when he recovered. She braced herself for a slap but he put his hand on her shoulder and smirked. “Pretty good.”

“I--I grew up in Manila – guys bigger than you used to go there just to rape kids smaller than me on their business trips. They taught ‘anti-pedo’ maneuvers in pre-k.” Bo said as she buttoned her shirt. 

“So live men you can handle but the lame brains… why are you so freaked out by them?” 

“They have no weak spots. I kick a walker in the nuts it just keeps coming for me. They can’t be reasoned with and need I remind you that they are dead! It’s… just freaky the way they growl and then they eat live people. But not each other – what’s up with that!” She rambled on.

“They ripped you from your ‘spoon fed’, rich-bitch life – you should be pissed. You should want them all dead so you can go back to dancing the can-can and twirling your titty-tassels.” Merle said. Bo laughed at his out dated knowledge of showgirl routines. 

“I am pissed. But you and Daryl seem like this is no big thing.” 

“Well apart from the dead bastards this is how we used to live. Selling dope, pulling scams for food money and living on other peoples couches when dad booted us out. Hunting bucks and shitting in the woods.” He said. “You and my brother hooking up is kind of funny. Some muddy red neck come to you in the ol’ days you would’ve sicked your bodyguard on him right?” 

“Yeah actually the way he dresses, Daryl wouldn’t even be allowed in the theater.” She shrugged and followed when he started walking. She didn’t mind Merle as much as everyone else. Hell he didn’t get on her nerves the way he used to even though he was the same old Merle. A year ago she wouldn’t be caught dead marching through the woods after him and listening to his racist stories about being in the army. She hated to admit that he was charming in his own way. Just like Daryl there was something oddly attractive about Merle. Of course Daryl was cuter in Bo’s opinion but Merle reminded her of a friend of her father. A tough as nails conglomerate CEO that used to give her loli pops even though she was well into her teens. Even after her mother explained to him what Bo was going through he never once treated her like some kind of sad freak. 

“You really like him don’t you?” Merle asked as he idly tracked something through the brush. He glanced back at her. 

“Yeah, Daryl’s a real sweetheart. Not a cruel-bone in his body.” She answered. 

“A lot of people say that about him. He’s sweet and quiet. And he does that silent bashful thing that makes girls wet themselves. My baby brother.” He said absently. “He likes you – so I guess you can’t be that bad… even for an oriental.” 

“We’re called ‘Asian’ now.” She chuckled and he waved it off.


	13. Chapter 13

Merle was on edge. Bo had heard something crunching through the leaves but she didn’t hear the telltale groaning of a walker. They were almost afraid to go back to the prison just incase someone was following them. He glanced at Bo and she looked like she was three seconds from a complete freak out. They had taken refuge in an old, long abandoned cemetery and apparently she was superstitious about disturbing graves. Merle assured her there was nothing to be afraid of but even the blank tombstones and the large statue of the Virgin Mary in the center unnerved him. Time had washed away the names, half her face and both her hands. The cemetery probably pre-dated the Civil War. Which meant what ever little town had been near the cemetery was long gone.

“Merle… can we please go?” Bo begged as she clung to his arm. He wanted to shake her off and tell her to toughen up but he realized it was something his father would do. He and Daryl were the last in a long line of male Dixons. A girl hadn’t been born into the family for generations and without that need for a lighter touch virtually all tenderness had been bred out of them. He felt an odd pull in his gut – he wasn’t attracted to her, she belonged to Daryl and if nothing else he had to respect that they wanted to be exclusive. He patted her head and peeled her hands off. 

“Unclench, baby girl.” He said and looked around. “You still hear what ever was roaming around before?” She stared into space for a few seconds.

“No… there’s no sound here.” Bo said as she looked at the graves nervously. He was about to tell her spirits didn’t exist but he also noticed that there was no noise at all penetrating the barrier of the cemetery. No birds, no bugs – even the leaves under his feet sounded muted as he stood up straight. 

“Let’s go.” He nudged her. “Which way back to the prison?” he asked. She looked up, probably trying to spot the sun. She pointed in the opposite direction and he nodded. “Very good. “We’ll turn you into a hunter yet, baby girl.” 

“That’s cute.” Merle turned towards the sound of someone else only to be knocked to the ground by a hard punch. Guy had some serious muscle behind his arm and fist made of granite. Merle grunted and forced his mind to clear. He heard Bo scream in surprise. 

“Run damn it!” He barked at her and she took off without having to be told twice. 

“No! Let go of me!” Merle looked up and two men had managed to grab her.

“Shit.” Merle spit out blood and a molar. There were only three of them but they were huge. The smallest guy was a full head taller than Merle. 

“Stop struggling – or I’ll snap your little arm like a twig. And then how will you give me a hand job?” 

“How rude, you should at least ask her sugar daddy here if you could fuck her – not that it’ll make a difference.” The one holding Merle down said.

“Seriously dude – how’d you get a sweet little thing like this? You save her from some ‘eaters’ and her panties just melted off right?” 

“Shit maybe he forces her.” The third one said as he pulled open her shirt. “She’s all cut up. This dude not being nice to you sweetie?” They all laughed at his phony concern. “He’s gonna look like Santa Claus compared to Rob.” 

“By the way I’m Rob. Feel free to scream that while I’m plowing you.” He said as he ripped her shirt the rest of the way open. She pulled free of the other guy and slapped him as hard as she could. It took him by surprise and she kicked him away. Bo struggled with the other man but he twisted her bad arm behind her back. The old scar tissue pulling and making her scream. 

“You okay?” He asked sarcastically as Rob licked his split lip. He back handed Bo and punched her in the gut. She gagged and he stepped back thinking she might throw up. It was nearly impossible to get air in her lungs after the hard blow.

“I was gonna be nice – you brought that on yourself. Now, I’m not gonna stop until your face and your cunt are a bloody mess.” He reached for her pants and she tried to squirm out his grasp. “Hold still bitch—“ 

“I’m a tranny!” She screamed and they all froze. 

“What?” Rob asked. “You’re lying.” 

“No! I’m not. I’m not. I’m a transvestite – I have a penis.” She admitted quickly. They all looked at each other. The man holding her shoved her to the ground and stepped on her ankle when she tried to get up. Rob grabbed her hair and pulled her up to her knees. 

“Show us.” 

“No!” He yanked her hair and she hissed. “Okay. Okay!” She looked at Merle and his brow was furrowed. He thought she was lying – like saying she was transgender was some kind of gimmick to get away. They were going to tear her pants off either way but for some reason they were giving her the option to show them herself. 

“Today!” Rob said impatiently. Bo jumped and unbuttoned her jeans. She couldn’t stand the way Merle was looking at her. If she was lying she’d get raped but if she wasn’t he’d get an eyeful of what she really was and immediately know what she and Daryl had been up to. Either way she’d be letting him down somehow. She looked up at the sky instead. She dreaded every notch on her zipper and jumped at the touch of her hand as she cupped her genitals and eased her pants down. 

\-----

Daryl was walking the perimeter when he spotted someone coming out of the tree line near the creek. Merle took out a walker that was blocking the bridge and Bo kept going like she didn’t even see him. Merle chucked the body in the woods and headed for the gate. Daryl unlocked it and pulled it open. He smiled at them but they ignored him. After he locked up the gate he caught up with Merle. He noticed all the blood on his hands and his clothes. He looked at Bo and she was equally dirty. Her shirt was in tatters – barely held on her body and tied in a knot to keep it closed. 

“Oh my goodness – are you okay?” Beth asked when Bo came in the second gate. She rushed to her friend and Bo forced a smile. Daryl noticed her shiner and swollen cheek. Merle had a knot on his forehead and dried blood trails under his nose. 

“Did something happen?” He asked even though it was obvious they ran into some trouble. Without a word Merle suddenly haled off and punched Daryl in the face. It made Beth scream and that brought the other men outside. Herschel hurried his girls inside and Rick sent Carl in with them. Carol went back in as Glenn ran to break up the fight. Michonne looked over the railing of the guard tower at them. Bo shoved Merle back and they both nearly fell over from exhaustion. 

“Leave him alone!” She screamed. He backhanded her and she righted herself immediately. She punched him – which surprised everyone. When they left they had been on he verge of being best friends now they took shots at each other like they were sworn enemies. Bo dodged Merle’s sluggish movements and kicked him in the nuts. He doubled over. “I warned you…” 

“Fuck you.” Merle growled. 

“What the…” Daryl started as he attempted to help Merle up. “The hells gotten into you two?” Merle shoved him back so hard he landed on his ass. He rushed at Bo and returned the favor. Bo gasped when his knee landed squarely between her legs. She dropped to the ground and curled up. She had never experienced anything so painful. Even being stabbed didn’t hurt so much. She was almost praying that she’d pass out just so she wouldn’t have to endure it. “Merle!” Daryl shoved him aside and knelt next to her. “What are you doing!?” 

“What am I doing? What are you doing? Screwing around with this fucking shemale!” He yelled as he jabbed an accusatory finger at them. “I have done my share of coke but I’ve never been so high or hard up enough to stick my dick in a trap.” 

“You shut your damn mouth!” Daryl bucked on him and Merle laughed in his face. 

“You’re standing up for that lying freak? You fucking disgust me.” Merle looked him up and down before grabbing his shirt and jacking him up a little. “The fuck happened to you? We used to road haul pieces of shit like that now your taking it to bed with you?”

“Shut the fuck up – got nothing to do with you what she is.” 

“She? SHE! That is not a female!” Merle roared. 

“Enough!” Rick intervened. He separated them and Merle threw his hands up before he walked off. Rick watched him go before he turned back to Daryl and Bo. Daryl avoided his gaze and knelt down. 

“Grab on to me.” He instructed as he put an arm under Bo’s knees. She hooked her arm over his shoulders and he picked her up. 

“Bo—“

“Not now.” Daryl said to Rick as he headed inside. 

“But—“ 

“Not now!” Daryl yelled at Glenn when he tried to say something. Without another word her carried Bo inside to get her cleaned up. 

\-----

“Go away.” Bo sighed when Rick and Glenn came to her cell. She knew they’d come to ‘talk’ to her when Daryl left her alone. Ironically she’s the one that sent him away. She tossed him a pack of old cigarettes and assured him she’d be fine by herself for ten minutes. He had been hovering around her every since she got back and she didn’t want to run the risk of snapping at him out of frustration. She didn’t have the luxury of a functioning lock or even a real door. It was maddening to have no privacy, especially now that nearly everyone knew her secret.

“We need to talk.” Rick insisted. 

“No we don’t. Good bye.” Bo dismissed them quickly. 

“Yeah we do. You better explain yourself while you have the chance.” Bo glared at Rick – she didn’t like his tone. He sounded like he was talking to his child. 

“I’m not here to satisfy your queer curiosities, Rick. My body, my business.” 

“You’ve been… masquerading as a woman this whole time!” Glenn spoke up. “You lied to us—“ 

“Wrong!” Bo interrupted as she stood up and advanced on them. “You never once asked me if I had a dick. And why do I need to prove my gender to you two anyway? You gonna prove you’re a man?” 

“I—“ 

“Go on, drop your pants right now and fucking show me! While we’re at it, bring the other women up here and make them do the same. I mean Maggie has never shown me her vagina but who am I to ask her what’s she’s packing. Maybe she’s a tranny too – what do ya say Glenn? Only you would know, right.” 

“Enough.” Rick said and put his hand up. “Bo, we could’ve prevented any… misunderstanding if you had just told us.” 

“Misunderstanding? If you had known you’d just treat me like Merle treats everyone. You’re out of your ‘pay grade’ guys. It’s none of your god damn business! And this is the last time I’m going to tell you this. My body, what I do with it and whom I do it with is not your concern. Do not attempt to take some kind of half-assed moral high ground with me. I am a woman and if you treat me like anything else I will make your already shitty lives worse.” 

“Bo—“ 

“Unless the next words out of your mouth are ‘I’m sorry’ – you can just save it. Now if you don’t mind, my nuts still hurt. And you were going to avoid me like the plague anyway so let’s get a head start on that.” They just looked at her for a few seconds before they walked off. 

“You are such a bitch. Hard to believe you were ever a man. But then again you’d probably still be a pussy.” Bo rolled her eyes and looked at Merle when he came walking up. “Do they really still hurt?” 

“It’s mostly my thigh.” She said. She cupped herself and gave him the finger with her free hand. “But you can still go eat shit and die if that makes you feel better.” 

“It’d make me feel better if you died, faggot.” Merle hissed. “Might be able to get my brother back on the straight and narrow by next week if you killed yourself tomorrow.” 

“Yeah well unless you’re going to kill me yourself I’m not going anywhere. So why don’t you just find a way to be okay with the fact that I make your baby brother cum his little hillbilly brains out just by touching him and we can move on with our lives.” 

“Bitch please – you really think talking like that’ll scare me off?” Merle asked. 

“Don’t know, don’t care. You try to come at me again and it’ll be your death that Daryl is getting over in a week.” Merle snorted and went on his way. Bo spit in his direction before she noticed Michonne staring at her on the other end of the catwalk. “The hell you staring at?” she snapped. Michonne turned around and left without a word. 

\-----

“The fuck is wrong with you?” Daryl looked over his shoulder at Merle before he went back to watching his pee stream. He rolled his cigarette to the side of his mouth so he could talk. 

“You mean lately or as a whole cause I gotta say you’re a big part of both problems.” Daryl answered. He finished up and shook himself dry before zipping up. 

“Don’t get cute with me boy. Dad would literally kill you if he knew about your shemale fetish.” 

“You mean if he wasn’t worm food already?” Daryl asked. He wasn’t normally so glib about their father – he had been there when a walker took him out. He’d never even mentioned it until now. “She’s not a shemale and it’s not a fetish.” 

“Don’t tell me you love that piece of shit – I’ll puke.” Merle said. 

“I love her – try to aim away from my shoes.” Daryl said quickly. 

“You barely know the meaning of that word you damn sure don’t know how to actually love anything.” Merle snorted. Daryl finished his cigarette and tossed it in his urine puddle. 

“Whatever. You gonna ‘throttle’ me now? Knock some sense into me like daddy would put it. You gonna kill her or find someway to make her miserable just to make yourself feel better? You leave her alone, you hear.” He warned.

“I’ll do what I want boy—“ 

“And so will I. So will she. Who I’m fucking ain’t your problem, Merle. Just let us be. We’re not hurting you.” 

“There is a perfectly normal, young blond girl living in the cell below you. Hell, that silver haired housewife looks at you like the moon shines out your ass and yet instead of picking either one of them to get your rocks off you pick… that thing.” 

“Her names Bo—

“I don’t care if her name is Queen Victoria!” Merle yelled as he grabbed Daryl by the collar. Daryl just sighed and glared at Merle as he got in his face. “What the hell happened to you?” 

“The same thing that happened to everyone else!” Daryl screamed at him as he pushed Merle away. “Fucking dead bastards ruined the world. They ate everyone I knew! I was stabbed, shot, put in a ring and beat up by my own god damn brother!!” He pushed Merle again. “I’m living in a fucking prison trying not to get shot in the head by a maniac. And the one person that keeps me from taking a flying leap off a cliff was attacked twice because of who she is - just cause she’s alive! That’s what happened to me!! So if you can’t get over your own dumb-fuck ways and get along with her then get the fuck out!” 

“Daryl stop!” They both looked at the door to the cellblock when Bo came out. Rick and Michonne following close behind her.

“What? You’re telling me not to defend you?” 

“I don’t need you to defend me. And that’s not what you’re doing.” Bo said. “You’re correct in the sense that I have the right to be who I am but you’re wrong in trying to change the way Merle thinks. He’s free to hate me if he wants. I really don’t give a shit what he thinks of us being together. You shouldn’t try to force him to accept it. 

“How can you say that?” Rick asked. 

“Because it’s true. I am what I am – I don’t care if nobody likes it. I like it. I’m not going to start dressing like a man to make you comfortable and you shouldn’t force yourself to be okay with me just to make me happy. That being said Daryl and me are both consenting adults. I’m not forcing him in any way to be with me.” She glared at Merle. “If he didn’t want me he’d say so. You can say and do whatever you want, Merle. I’m not going to bother trying to change you. It’s not my place but it’s not your place to say who I get to be.” They all looked at her. “Merle we were friends a week ago. I’m still the same person I was then – why does my plumbing make a difference?” 

“Thought you weren’t going to force me to like you?” Merle asked. 

“I just want to know why you don’t like me… take your time coming up with a reason other than my genitalia.”


	14. Chapter 14

Bo felt increasingly isolated. She tried to go about her life like nothing had happened but that did nothing to change how the group treated her. Beth, Herschel, Carl and Carol knew that something was being kept secret from them and the fact that no one would tell them caused a rift in trust. They knew it concerned what happened to Bo and Merle when they went out in the woods together. Given how angry Daryl was at his brother they assumed he had tried something with Bo and that made Merle very angry. He was many things but a rapist was not one of them. But Rick had warned him to keep his mouth shut about Bo’s condition. 

“Condition.” Bo snorted to herself and she lay in bed. “Like I’m some kind of disease.” The people that did know about her now treated her like less than a person. Like she was completely incapable of doing anything important. Rick had denied her assistance on guard duty. He didn’t want her help cleaning guns. He certainly didn’t want her opinion on plans and strategies. His attitude towards her didn’t go unnoticed but no one said anything about it. And Bo wasn’t about to get into another fight so she just stayed in her cell. She should find it insulting but it was comforting in a way – she definitely didn’t want to go back out on runs. Glenn was trying to understand – he even asked her if she wanted to go with him but her anxiety got the better of her. The thought of leaving the safety of the prison made her cling to the bars on her door when he asked if she was sure. She smiled and told him she was sure before going back to bed. 

“Just leave her alone.” Daryl said as he fervently whittled a few new arrows. 

“I’m trying to be nice. She’s hurting over something other than what Merle said about her.” Glenn said. Daryl glanced at him – Glenn was still referring to Bo as female – it seemed Merle went out of his way to call Bo ‘it’. 

“They were attacked when they were out in the woods.” Daryl started. “It’s how Merle found out about her. These three guys snatched them up. Bo outed herself to keep from getting raped.” 

“Oh.” Glenn said and looked at the ground. “Did… did she have to kill them?” 

“No, they let them go. But they took her axe and Merle’s pistol. Smacked them both around. It’s just their egos that are hurting.” Daryl said. 

“She’s afraid to leave.” 

“I’ll handle that.” Daryl assured him. He went back to what he was doing but let out a long sigh when Glenn didn’t leave. “What?” 

“I’m not judging.” Glenn said quickly and Daryl looked at him. “I’m just a little surprised you’d go for someone like her.” 

“Why? You don’t think she’s cute?” Daryl asked. Glenn opened his mouth to defend himself until he noticed the smirk on Daryl’s face. He chuckled and nodded his head. 

“You’re messing with me I get it.” Glenn said. “It’s not her body parts you’re attracted to.” 

“No, her body is fucking sweet – I’m attracted to it. But asking me why is like asking why people have eyebrows. No one knows we just do.” Daryl said. “Don’t worry about Bo – just keep treating her the way you have. She’ll see your effort and be grateful.” 

\-----

Bo jumped when something tickled her foot. She looked over her shoulder and Daryl smirked when she spotted him. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and moaned. “What time is it?” 

“Early. Come on get up.” He said as he moved around the cell. She groaned and turned over and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

“Why?” 

“Got something to show you.” He said as he continued to put things in his pack. Bo put on her sneakers and hugged her jacket closed before she followed Daryl outside. The sun was just now making an attempt to come up over the horizon and there were birds chirping up in the sky already. She blindly followed him out to the courtyard and sighed when he got on his bike. 

“You could’ve just told me you needed me to open the gate for you.” She said. He snorted as he looked at her. He couldn’t help but find her cute as she stood there – a little hunched against the nippy air, her hair all messy and her eyes squinting in disgust over being awake so early. 

“Nah, Glenn’s got it.” He nodded towards where Glenn was waiting down by the checkpoint. “Hop on.” 

“No.” She refused as she glanced at the Schutzstaffel on the body of his bike. 

“Come on. I’ve never taken you for a ride and you need to get out.” 

“Don’t tell me what I need.” She got defensive and Daryl bit his bottom lip. 

“I didn’t mean it like that. Just come on. I got something to show you.” Daryl said. 

“Can’t we take a car?” 

“This is less gas.” He reasoned. She looked around, desperately wanting to go back in the cellblock. She felt so out in the open, even in the gated off courtyard she felt exposed and vulnerable. 

“Can’t you just tell me what it is? She said. 

“Nope. Gotta see to believe.” He said and patted the seat behind him. She sucked her teeth before she zipped her jacket. She straddled the bike and clung to him when he started it and pulled it upright. He could feel her squirming – the vibration probably woke her all the way up. She hugged his waist when he pulled off. He went down the rock driveway slowly and nodded at Glenn as they passed him and went out the gate. She yelped when he revved up into high speed. He had to dodge a few walkers but they weren’t nearly fast enough to catch up. Once they were out on the road Bo looked around. It was like being in a different world. The leaves were bright autumn colors and they rained down over them as they sped down the road. The sun came up while they were driving and she saw everything in a new light. She frowned when the sight of a few walkers reminded her not everything was right with the world. 

After about twenty minutes Daryl turned down a street Bo would’ve missed if they weren’t headed towards it. The pavement was old and a little bumpy as they neared their destination. She spotted the trailers and Daryl pulled into the subdivision like he had been there a million times before. He rolled into the gated yard of one and put the kickstand down. He cut the engine and they climbed off the bike. He shut the chain link fence just as a walker came limping up. He took it out before it’s snarling got the attention of any others in the area. He checked the rest of the yard to make sure none had wandered in the gate while he was away. He went up to the propane tank on the side of the trailer and turned the knob before he went back to Bo. 

“Well… what do you think?” He asked. 

“A trailer… you brought me out here at the butt crack of dawn to show me a trailer.” She said and crossed her arms. 

“That tank is full – I just gave this thing heat. And the water still works in the shower. So that means…” 

“Hot showers!? “She screamed and he winced. Oh my God!” 

“Still think it’s just a trailer?” He asked as he opened the door. She went in. The first thing she noticed was that it didn’t smell like death. There were no bloodstains, or the buzz of flies clinging to and old stink. It smelt like nothing really except for old fabric, which was practically perfume. The furniture was intact – the only thing amiss was a chair pulled out from the dinning room table. The layout was like a shotgun house as soon as you came in the door you were standing in the living room. There was a couch and a TV stand but the TV was long gone along with anything that might have been valuable. The only way deeper into the trailer was through the kitchen which was only big enough for two counters, a two burner electric stove, a short 50’s refrigerator and a small folding table with three chairs. Despite it’s small size it actually had two bedrooms. The bathroom was small and situated between the two bedrooms. Bo wondered how it stayed so clean through everything that happened until she saw the ‘For Rent’ sign Daryl had taken out of the window. The trailer had been empty and set up ‘for show’. Because of the blocks it was up on they were able to open the windows without the threat of walkers getting in. Bo looked around the master bedroom, which looked like Daryl had already made himself comfortable in. 

“How long have you been coming here?” She asked. 

“This’ll be my fifth time here. First time it was getting dark so I had to turn back. Second and third I was securing everything. Forth is when I noticed the propane tanks and the running water. I thought you’d like some time away from the prison. Plus the Governor blew up our last private place.” 

“Creep shed 2.0.” She said as she eyed the bathroom longingly. “How much propane is in those tanks.” 

“Enough for you to take a twenty minute shower while I cook this rabbit. With enough left over for us to do it over again for about two weeks.” He said as he held up the rabbit. She cringed at the dead animal. He handed her his pack before he went about his business. Bo went into the bathroom and turned on the water. The pipes creaked before the water came out – the pressure wasn’t spectacular but when she put her hand under it she found that it was in fact hot. She couldn’t get out of her clothes fast enough. She got in the shower and moaned as the water washed over her. She knew Daryl could hear her but she didn’t care. It felt too good to be quiet. It was practically orgasmic to stand there and let the heat ease her tense and sore muscles. There was already a bar of soap in the holder and after soaking herself for nearly ten minutes she picked it up and scrubbed herself clean. Taking the time to really scratch her scalp. She was tempted to plug the drain and have a nice long bath but the smell of cooking meat made her rinse off and get out. She dried off and wrapped the towel around her before she headed into the kitchen.

They ate together – exchanging small talk about nothing in particular. She told him more about the burlesque show she used to dance in. And he told her about the time he shot a buck ‘as big as a hummer’. As soon as he said hummer the same thought entered their heads. It had been nearly three weeks since they had sex. Merle interrupted their last time together. And three weeks wasn’t actually that long but with the world the way it was three weeks was a lifetime. As she looked at the smirk on Daryl’s face Bo was suddenly overcome with nervousness. She couldn’t understand it. Daryl was sweet and he’d never force her to do anything she didn’t want to. She used to be the confident one. In fact had those men not violated her she’d be spread out over the table and underneath him by now. 

“Are you tired?” Daryl asked – attempting to break the silence that fell between them. 

“No, the ride over and the shower really woke me up.” She answered. 

“We don’t have to—“ 

“But…” She started. “No, I want to. I really want to.” Bo stood up but her movements were stiff and not nearly as sensual as she use to be. She grabbed his hand and pulled him up and towards the bedroom. Daryl grabbed her ass and licked her neck once they were in the threshold. He shut the door out of habit and wrapped his arms around her. Usually she’d lean into him and moan as she pressed her ass into his crotch. But she yelped and flinched away from him. She squirmed in his grip and tried to worm her way out of it. “Let go.” 

“What’s wrong?” Daryl asked. 

“Let go of me!” She screamed and he immediately put his hands up. She took a few breaths and he patiently waited for her to calm down. She seemed to realize her behavior had freaked him out and she turned to Daryl with a surprised look on her face. “I’m sorry.” She apologized and shook her head. “I… I’m having a little trouble…” 

“We can go back—“

“No!” Bo said louder than she meant to. She couldn’t bare going back to the prison so soon after he showed her this little slice of paradise. It was selfish to hide it from the others but she didn’t really feel like sharing with them at the moment. “No, I wanna stay. We just need to go slower.” 

“You got it.” He said. They stood there for a long beat – neither one of them moving. Daryl looked at her expectantly. “You want me to start?” 

“Yeah, let’s try that.” She agreed and nodded her head nervously. Daryl was surprised – he’d never seen her like this. It was like being attacked hit the reset button on her sexuality. She was jittery and stiff like a virgin would be. He knew most of her attitude was from her trying to suppress her disgust for being touched. 

Daryl tried to remember what Maggie told him. Since Glenn couldn’t keep a damn secret, Maggie knew everything that happened. Daryl had a very awkward conversation with her before they left. Basically she told him not to rush Bo and to let her come to him. Daryl reached for her and she fidgeted a little. Maggie said she might feel vulnerable so he had to even the playing field. Bo only had on the towel from her shower. 

Daryl unbuttoned his shirt slowly and slid it off his shoulders. He smirked when she looked him up and down quickly. She wanted him but she was conflicted. Maggie told him her trust in men had been shattered. More than likely sex had never been used as a weapon against her. She knew Daryl wouldn’t hurt her she just couldn’t get out of her own head. Daryl thought for a moment that that had been the longest he ever talked to Maggie. He unbuckled his pants and let them drop before he stepped out of them. “Commando, you naughty boy.” She smiled and reached for him. He kept his hands to himself as she stroked over his chest and down his slight belly. 

“Gimme a kiss.” He said as he nudged her head with his chin. Bo looked up and leaned in when he pressed against her. He groaned – they really did have to stop going so long without indulging in simple things like kissing. He finally lifted his arms and spread his hands against her back. He gripped the towel and pulled it off of her. She shied away for a second, pulling back from the kiss to catch her breath. Skin to skin was just as satisfying as if it used to be. Her soft breasts against his chest – her smooth warm skin under his hands. He didn’t realize he was getting hard until she jittered away from him a little. “Sorry.” 

“It’s okay.” Bo assured him. She reached down and stroked him slowly. “Come on.” She grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the bed. They lay down facing each other and for a long time she just ran her hands over him. Like she was trying to remember where all his ticklish spots were. “Touch me.” She demanded. 

“Where?” 

“Anywhere.” She glared at him when he pressed his finger to her nose. 

“You said anywhere.” Daryl shrugged. Bo laughed and relaxed against him. They were alone and it was quiet – they had never had this luxury. Daryl’s presence would be missed at the prison but they didn’t know where to find him so for the moment they had nothing to do but lay in bed. Although the bed was a little too soft Bo wouldn’t complain. The sheets were clean, she was clean and Daryl was relatively clean. She started to get a little excited about being alone with him. No prying eyes, no Merle to interrupt or pester them. She smiled and moved closer. “Mmm… there we go.” He mumbled when he felt her erection against his. He leaned over and grabbed his pack and fished out the nearly empty bottle of lube.

“Can’t believe that survived the tower blowing up.” She said as she looked at it. The cap was a little melted and it had soot on it. 

“Think I’ll be a little sad if we actually finish it.” He said. “Gotta start looking for more.” 

“Later.” Bo said and stroked Daryl’s erection to get him back on the task at hand. 

“You wanna be on top?” 

“No.” Bo rolled on to her back before she motioned for him to get on top of her. He pushed himself back and up on to his knees so he could prepare her. She tensed again when he ran his slick fingers down her crevasse. He rubbed her knee comfortingly as he slid his fingers inside her. Despite her trepidation she arched into it. It felt good – he stroked over her spot and kept it up until she was writhing down on to his hand. “Ah!” Bo arched up when he laved over her breast. She dug her fingers into his hair and he moaned. 

“Ready?” he asked as he pulled his fingers out. He slicked himself up and slid into her just as she was starting to whine about the loss of contact. 

For a few seconds Daryl thought he was hurting her. She grabbed his arms and her face was contorted in pain. “Oh my God!” She screamed and bucked against him. “Move! Move for Christ’s sake!” she begged. Daryl snapped into action – she wanted him and he gave her everything he had. She was so tight – fuck they were both hard up and frustrated. He loved the sight of his cock sliding into her. Every time he pushed forward her titties would bounce. She moaned his name as she reached down to stroke herself. He leaned over on to his elbows so he could get his mouth on her skin. Daryl found a spot on her neck that made her mewl. Bo turned her head and he devoured her mouth and every sound she made as he pressed inside her harder. He felt her nails in his back – one hand on his shoulder and another on his ass. 

“Fuck!” It was so good. So intense and yet so much sweeter than their sex usually was. Daryl wanted to come so bad but held off because he wanted more. More of the feel of her and the sounds she made. The smell of the soap on her smooth skin and the look of her inky hair on the pale sheets – he could see more details in the sunlight coming through the window across from the bed. The prison was so dim – he had nearly forgotten about all her beauty marks. 

“Daryl… shit baby… “ She panted. Her eyes were only open a sliver but he loved the way she looked at him. She leaned up and kissed him – nibbled his bottom lip and nipped at his jaw. He pressed his forehead to hers and thrust in deeper. He felt the tremor it sent through her body and moaned through his teeth. 

“Shit I’m coming!” Daryl growled. He reached between them and had her speed up her slow stroke on her cock. 

“Fuck!” she cried out and suddenly she was so tight he could barely move. Daryl pulled back an inch and was overwhelmed by the force of his orgasm. He tossed his head back and howled as he let loose inside her. She pressed her forehead into his shoulder when she peaked – he felt it on his fingers, warm and viscid. Bo gasped when Daryl’s full weight was on top of her. For a second she was worried that something was wrong but she could hear him breathing. Bo liked the feel of him on top of her – normally such a position would make her feel smothered but she just wrapped her arms around his shoulders and sighed as Daryl caught his breath. 

“God damn…” He arched his back a little and slipped from inside her. She let out a half hearted moan at the loss of contact. “Mm…when do you think we should head back?” She snorted at his question. 

“Would it be wrong if I said ‘never’?” She asked. They both looked towards the window when there was a roll of thunder outside. The sun disappeared behind dark clouds. It started raining a few minutes later and Daryl could see his bike out in the yard – getting drenched in a matter of seconds.

“Guess we’re stuck here until it this storm clears up.” 

“In this state that could be five minutes or five days.” Bo joked.


	15. Chapter 15

They returned to the prison early the next morning. Bo had a bit of trouble letting go – as soon as she spotted Merle talking to Rick she wanted to turn back around. “Come on forget about them. We spend a few days here, make nice and if you’re feeling antsy again just say the word and we’re on our way to the creep shed.” Daryl said as he put his arm around her waist. She pouted for a second before she rolled her eyes. 

“Three days max.” Bo said. “After having you all to myself there’s no way I can go back to just quickie hummers and being quiet at night.” 

“Who are you telling…” Daryl mumbled. She moved to go do her regular routine but he tightened his hold on her. Bo smirked and turned to him. Without asking what he wanted she kissed him. “Forty-eight hours.” She laughed at his new suggestion before they parted ways. 

Unfortunately an illness broke out at the prison and spread so quickly through D block that half the Woodbury survivors were dead the next day. Herschel had already tasked Daryl and Bob with finding medicine – anyone who wasn’t sick was encouraged to go as well. Merle teased Daryl about becoming an errand boy and advised him to take Bo with him. “I might be tempted to pushed her into ‘A’ block if she starts mouthing off to me.” Daryl rolled his eyes and went in search of Bo. Not because of what Merle said but because she was planning on going with them anyway. 

“Bo?” Daryl called as he looked in their cell. Her stuff was packed so he grabbed her bag before he went deeper into the prison in search of her. “Bo – we gotta get going!” He headed for the shower room when he heard one of the faucets on. “Shit!” He rushed to Bo when he found her slumped against the wall outside the shower room. “Bo? You okay?” She groaned when he touched her. “Shit, you’re on fire.” 

\------

 

“She’ll be okay.” Michonne said. Daryl barely heard her. Everything that could’ve gone wrong on the trip went wrong in a big way. They were delayed time after time. The journey should’ve only taken about six hours but they had been gone two and a half days. It’d be a miracle if anyone was left alive, let alone the people that were sick before they left. Daryl just continued to look at the jasper in his hand. He wondered what he could use as a marker for Bo if they hadn’t burned her body to keep the disease from spreading. 

When they made it back they were surprised to find more people survived than they thought. Daryl occupied himself with random tasks. Apparently Merle had gotten sick while he was away. He didn’t want to know what happened to them – there were bigger things happening. He just let Bob go into the cellblock and help Herschel administer the medicine. There’d be time for a final body count later. He spent a few hours killing walkers along the gates and clearing bodies out of the side entrance where the gate had given away. He then helped Rick out in the fields before dinnertime. Afterwards he was too exhausted to care about anything other than sleep. 

“Wake up you turd!” Daryl jumped when he heard Merle. He came into his cell and smacked his foot. “You heard I was sick and you didn’t even come to see me?” 

“You seem fine.” Daryl said. 

“Your shemale took a turn for the worse.” 

“What!? Is she dead?” 

“She was coughing up blood the last time I saw her. Who knows? I got my meds and got the hell out of there when that spook doctor gave me the all clear.” 

“God damn it Merle--!!” They both jumped when an explosion rocked the prison. They raced out to the courtyard with Rick. He looked at the main gate and what appeared to be a tank was slowly rolling towards it. They recognized the man standing on the front of it. The Governor. They had never found his body after their last run in and now he was back. Rick went to talk to him but things spiraled quickly when the Governor killed Herschel. 

Daryl grabbed a gun. He pushed away his concern for Bo and Merle – went into auto pilot. Killed every person he didn’t recognize as they stormed through the gate. He nearly got bitten but he managed to get away and got a grenade down the muzzle of the tank. He killed the bastard that jumped out – shot him in the chest rather than the head. He wanted him to bleed out and die. He wanted him to turn – to suffer the same fate as the walkers they had let into the prison when they destroyed the gates. He was beating in the head of a walker when someone grabbed his arm and pulled him up. He was hurried out of the prison and he ran without looking. Never looking back – just ran until he couldn’t anymore. There were no walkers around him and he fell to his knees. 

“Daryl, are you hurt?” Rick asked as he moved to help him. He stood back when Daryl burst into tears. 

“Fuck!!!” He screamed and doubled over as he continued to weep. She was gone. Bo was gone. 

\------

 

Daryl hurt all over. When they reached Herschel’s old farm he was so exhausted he collapsed in the first room they secured. He wasn’t even on a couch – just sprawled out on the musty rug in the living room. He didn’t dream and when he woke up the following night he felt sore all over. It even ached to open his eyes. “Hey.” Michonne said from where she was sitting in a nearby armchair peeling an orange. Daryl’s stomach churned at the thought of food and he looked anywhere but at her. He felt fresh tears well in his eyes and he pressed his palms into them. “Found you guys last night. Rick’s still beat up and in and out of consciousness but he wants us to find the others.” 

“No.” Daryl said. 

“No, you don’t want to go or no—

“No as in there are no others.” Daryl said. 

“I saw the bus get out. Glenn and Maggie, too. I’m sure Bo survived.” Michonne said and he knew it was to make him feel better about losing the prison. 

“She didn’t. She was sick before we left. Even if she survived that flu the Governor blew A block to hell. She’s dead.” Daryl said in a monotone. Michonne just stared at him for a long beat before she went back to eating. He was right – she had seen what remained of A block with her own eyes – it was a wash of blood and rubble.

“You wanna talk? Cry?” She asked. 

“Too tired right now.” He answered before he closed his eyes again. 

When he woke the next time it was daylight. He got up and looked around the house. Rick was still passed out – his face all black and blue and swollen from his fist fight with the Governor. Daryl raided the bathrooms – looking for anything to cure his headache and maybe get him high enough not to care about what happened. Daryl looked at himself in the dusty mirror and let his tears fall. He gasped and hiccupped and just let that sorrow wash over him. Bo was gone. He’d never see her again. Never feel her hair slip through his fingers. Never taste her skin. Never hear her voice, the way she said his name—

Daryl sunk his teeth into his bottom lip. The pain brought him out of his misery. It made him angry instead. He couldn’t use grief – it’d just make him sit around and mope. Anger could fuel him, drive him to get out and do something even if it was destructive. He walked around the farm and snagged a small block of wood from the burned down barn. He parked himself on the porch with his small knife and started shaving off pieces.

\------

“That’s cool.” Daryl looked up when Carl said something to him. 

“Thanks.” He mumbled before he went back to whittling. He was working from memory and the head was a little too big but he was almost done with his little doe carving. When he was done he’d find some black paint to make it look just like Bo’s tattoo. 

“I’m sorry about her.” Carl said. “I liked Bo.” 

“Sorry about your mom…” Daryl countered. 

“Thanks.” Carl looked down. The boy was more observant than he thought. He wasn’t aware that Bo and Carl had much interaction. After Merle ousted her Rick did everything he could to keep Carl away from her. Daryl sighed when he thought of his brother. It had been one hell of a shitty month. With everything that happened the four of them agreed to spend the approaching winter at the farm. Unfortunately they weren’t the only ones who found the house. 

“Back up!” Daryl said as he grabbed his crossbow. He aimed it at the people walking up to the porch. 

“Shit.” 

“Don’t shoot.” 

“Hold it right there.” Daryl said before he told Carl to get his dad. He held the people in place while he waited. There was only six of them – a very large red headed man in fatigues, a portly geeky looking guy with dark hair, a curvy little Latina with pigtails, two black girls who looked like mother and daughter and a slender dark haired boy lagging behind them all. Rick came out brandishing his gun and they all put their hands up. 

“Please don’t kill us!” The brunette said as she hugged the other girl to her and shielded her. 

“We mean you no harm. No harm at all. Just looking for a place to stay the night.” 

“How’d you find this place?” Rick demanded to know. The red head pointed to a hill at least a mile away and then held up a pair of binoculars. 

“Is this all of you?” 

“Used to be more until a two months ago. Some bastard with an eye patch raided our camp at Fort Montauk. He purposely let walkers in to pick off our group. Stole most of our guns and Aaron’s tank.” The latina said. Daryl lifted an eyebrow at her. She was dressed kind of scantly for someone trying to avoid bandits. Merle used to have a phrase to describe girls like her back home. ‘Asking for it’ is what he’d say. Now that Daryl thought about it that sounded kind of rapacious. He noticed the boy in the back when he looked over his shoulder. 

“Abe – walkers.” He said. They all looked and there was a small group of them heading through the field where the cows used to graze. At the moment they didn’t seem to notice the group. 

“Weapons and packs – hand them over. That’s the price of admission.” Rick said quickly. They put their stuff down in the grass and he stepped aside to let them in. “Search it.” He told Daryl and Carl before he went inside to show the newcomers around. They gathered everything and walked around to the back parlor so they could go through their stuff without being seen. They didn’t have much. The girl had three pairs of frilly panties, lotion, toothbrush and a collapsible comb. The beat up army pack had two knives, a full clip for a .45 and the machine gun he had put down on the ground – spare socks and a handful of condoms. The plain black pack had two first aid kits, a roll of toilet paper, a flask, a few bottles of pills and a dead satellite phone. The mom’s pack had spare clothes for herself and her daughter, a nail kit, a small pot and some panties. The last pack had a novel in a different language, scissors, several pairs of humorous boxer shorts and a dead cell phone and wallet. They kept the weapons but put all their stuff back in before joining them in the dining room. 

“Thanks for the hospitality.” The red head said. “Sergeant Abraham Ford.” He extended his hand to Rick and he looked at it for a long beat before returning the handshake. It had been so long since they had used civilized mannerisms. “This here is Rosita Espinosa, Eugene Porter, Leila and Alexis Sumter and Dima Volkov.” The slender boy perked up when everyone looked at him. Funny thing was he didn’t look Russian at all save for his pointy nose - he looked Asian. Thankfully Rick took the attention off him when he asked where they were headed. Abraham revealed that Eugene needed to get to Washington D.C. because he somehow knew how the walkers started and how to cure it. 

“That’s classified.” Eugene said when they attempted to question him more about it. 

“There’s a safe zone in Alexandria.” Abraham said. “Strength in numbers and all that if you guys are looking to join us.” 

“Right now we don’t know what we want to do. We lost a lot of people when the Governor attacked our last strong hold.” Rick said. The thought of a safe, military run hideout was alluring but he had been down this road before. He had hope and every time it got dashed to pieces. The winters were longer up north – it might give them some advantage over the walkers but there was no guarantee this place existed. Eugene slinked away from their conversation and took the satellite phone out of his pack. Daryl was about to tell them the phone didn’t work but Eugene pulled out a charging cord along with it. They had gotten the generator working so the house had power but they’d need more gas by morning. Eugene ignored them as he curled up in the corner next to the plug. He stared at the satellite phone as if he were expecting it to talk to him. The rest of the group ate and settled in for the night. Daryl took first watch and was out on the porch smoking when Alexis came out and bummed one off of him. 

“Thanks for taking us in. Abraham would never admit he’s too exhausted to put up a fight.” She said. 

“Thank Rick.” Daryl said gruffly and Alexis put her hands up. 

“I can take a hint. Shutting mouth now.” She said and turned to look out at the yard. She reminded Daryl of Beth – if Beth had been born black and grown up in the city as opposed to a farm. Her skinny jeans were ripped and her boots looked more designer than functional. She wore a shirt that was two sizes too big for her – supposedly to hide her breasts from would be attackers. Her hair was in two corn-rows braided down her back. Halfway down was still bleached dirty blond. She adjusted the slouchy hat on her head before she pointed at something in the yard. “Hey look, a rabbit.” Daryl got up slowly and shot it before it could hop away. Alexis screamed like he had shot her and her mother and Dima came running out to check on them. Daryl just retrieved his kill but Leila didn’t look pleased. 

“Did you give this to her?” She asked before she held up the cigarette. Daryl looked at it when she flicked it at him. “She’s only seventeen y’know.” 

“Aunt Leila…” Alexis whined.

“Stay away from her.” she growled before she pulled Alexis inside. Dima followed after them and Daryl shrugged it off before he went to drain and skin his rabbit. 

\------

 

The next morning Daryl woke to a commotion outside. Somehow Andrea, Merle, Glenn, Maggie and Beth had managed to get to the house and Rick was happy more of them made it. “Is Bo here?” Beth asked and suddenly Daryl felt like everyone was looking at him. 

“No…” He started. “No, Beth. Bo died in the prison attack – she’s gone.” Beth understandably started crying. They had been best friends. Beth had held out hope that she made it and to have it ripped away so suddenly – Daryl knew exactly how devastating that could be. “Happened quick – she didn’t suffer.” He tried to comfort her. She ended up hugging him. He rolled his eyes when Merle gave him a look. He knew his brother could be cruel but he was practically smirking over Bo’s death. He pushed that thought away and handed Beth over to Maggie. They were introduced to the new group and they spent the day getting to know them and gathering supplies. They’d need them whether they decided to stay at the farm or make the journey to Alexandria. 

“That guy is full of shit.” Merle said to Daryl as they hiked through the woods. “Probably just saying that crap so people will protect his fat ass. Talks into that phone like someone is there - he’s crazy.” 

“Well at this point it’s better to keep moving rather than settle. The walkers are the least of our worries now.” Daryl said absently. “Big group like the Governor’s finds us again they could surround this place and rip the house apart with automatics. A cure gives us something to do – something to search for.” 

“Forget a cure – not gonna bring back the people that died. They’re all decayed inside. Wouldn’t it be a bitch to be cured and live the rest of your days with a big ass gash in your neck? Or a gnarled or missing limb.” Merle went on. Daryl snorted before he looked at Merle’s cuff. “How would you even go back to normal – all your organs would be rotted out. Besides you can’t get back what makes you human. Once the brain dies you become one of those things permanently. Eat off your own friends face—“ 

“Maybe it’s something like a flu shot. They cure you and even if you get bit you won’t turn.” Daryl interrupted his rant. 

“That’d be great… if it were true.” Merle said. “So, did you have to put her down?” 

“What?” 

“I know you’re moping because your lady-boy died. She was still in the sick ward when they blew it to pieces, right?” 

“Yeah.” Daryl said quickly. “You happy? Huh!? It’s what you’ve always wanted!” He was suddenly yelling at Merle. “She’s gone and I’m miserable again. Nice and broken right where you want me to be. She made me happy and you hated her because of something she couldn’t change.” 

“Why are you so pissy – you got that blond girl frothing at the twat for you now. Not to mention Aunty-big-tits and that half blond nympho. Even if you switched teams there’s another little Asian boy in there just waiting for you to ream him out--

“That is not why I loved her!!” Daryl yelled before he stormed off. 

“Get back here—“ 

“Go fuck yourself! You don’t even care – you don’t care how useful she was, how you guys used to be before you found out, that she accepted you because you were my brother. You stupid shit bastard!” Daryl pushed him before he walked off. Merle snorted and went about hunting. When he got back to the farm Daryl went sifting through the burned remains of the barn. He found a two by four and broke it over the old rusted tracker nearby. “Fuck!” He chucked it in no particular direction and leaned against the tractor. He took out a cigarette and lit it. 

“Can I get another one of those?” Alexis asked. He stared at her. “Come on. I’m sorry about my aunt – she’s way too over protective.” 

“No such thing anymore.” He said. “You come out here alone just to get a smoke. What makes you think I won’t just fucking kill you and skull fuck your corpse?” 

“Cause if you were going to do that you wouldn’t say it – you’d just do it.” She said and held out her hand expectantly. A cruel thought streaked across Daryl’s mind as he looked at her palm. For a second he wanted to put his lit cigarette out on her skin. He pushed it away and handed her his cigarette. “Ew, you might have cooties.” 

“Grown ups call it herpes.” He quipped. She snorted before she took a few puffs. 

“Was this your house?” 

“No.” 

“Did you lose someone?” 

“Yes.” 

“Do you think Eugene is for real?” 

“Doesn’t matter.” 

“Planning on giving me a conversation instead of just short answers?” 

“Nope.” 

“Hey man, I’m just trying to be friendly. Sleeping under the same roof and all that.” She said. 

“I was told to stay away from you. Plus you just asked me if I lost someone and I said yes so you’ll forgive me if I’m not in the ‘friendly’ mood.” Daryl said. 

“Hey.” Beth called and they both looked back at her. “Alexis can you help me with something?” 

“Sure.” She finished the cigarette and walked off. Beth waved to Daryl and he nodded at her. Daryl almost wanted to smile – at least one person knew what he was going through. Everyone else just expected him to carry on like everything was fine. Something inside him wanted to – to deny Bo had such an impact on him but she had been one of the only people he knew for over two years. Besides their physical connection he actually enjoyed her company. She was funny and a stuck up rich bitch but that was part of her charm. She was also endearing and sensitive despite the attitude she put on. She’d never kill anyone – not even the Governor if given the chance to avenge her own death. She didn’t like hunting but she went with him to help feed the others. Despite her annoyance with Rick she still supported his ideas. She wasn’t perfect – very far from it but she had been his and Daryl never had anything to himself his whole life. And now he’d never have her again.


	16. Chapter 16

Daryl wasn’t surprised at all when he dreamt of Bo. She had been on his mind nearly constantly for the past two months. He woke in a cold sweat gripping the doe he had carved so tight in his hand it left a mark on his fingers for half the day. He wasn’t even sure what the dreams were about - every time he tried to remember it slipped away. He sat on the porch and thought about the first time he saw her – all scrawny and meek, huddled behind Shane as he introduced her to the group. Daryl realized that more than half of those people were dead now. Bo, Lori, Shane, T-dog, Carol, Sophia… the list went on and on. 

“Hey, you okay?” Glenn asked as he came up to Daryl. He leaned on the railing across from him. 

“No. I’m really shitty.” Daryl admitted and Glenn nodded like he understood. “It’s stupid, I know she’s gone but I keep feeling her nudging me like she used to – playing with my hair just before I wake up. I keep expecting her to come walking in from the fields and ask me to go hunting. I’m losing my mind.” 

“You’re not. Rick said he was talking to Lori on the phone the other day. It’s just how you’re coping. Beth actually went looking for her last week. She came and asked if I had seen her and the look on her face when she remembered… she cried for an hour.” Glenn said. “Besides this is where you guys started right? It’s bound to bring up memories.” 

“I didn’t even mourn my father this much.” Daryl admitted – a little disgusted with himself. “My mother yeah but one of those things got my father while we were hunting and I just let him go – set out to find Merle and moved on.” 

“You had other things on your mind then. Surviving makes you forget about everything you left behind. But now that we’re staying still for a while you really notice the void she left.” Glenn said. They looked up when Dima came out on to the porch. He was surprised to find them there and smiled after a second. 

“Sorry.” He apologized before he moved to find another place to sit. 

“Hold up.” Daryl called. “What’s the proof on that?” Dima looked at the bottle of vodka in his hand like he forgot he was carrying it. 

“80%” 

“Feel like sharing?” 

“Sure.” He sat in the wicker chair next to Daryl and gave him the bottle. 

“Not worried about germs?” Daryl asked when he noticed they didn’t have a cup to pour it in. 

“It’s alcohol.” Dima reasoned. Daryl shrugged and took a swig before he passed it to Glenn. He took a shot reluctantly and coughed afterwards. “Light weight.” 

“The lightest.” Daryl chuckled and Glenn kicked his foot. 

“You from Mongolia?” Glenn asked.

“Is it that obvious?” Dima asked and they both shrugged. “Yes, Ulaanbaartar.” 

“Gesundheit.” Daryl joked. Dima smirked. 

“I was sequestered and flown into this country a month before the disease went global. I’m a chemist or at least that’s what I used to be. Now, I crush leaves and twigs so wounds don’t get gangrene.” He shrugged. His accent was thick but he didn’t leave words out of his sentences like most foreigners did. “I can make medication substitutes with the right materials. Was this your farm – what did you used to do?” 

“Professional bum.” Daryl said and took the bottle again. 

“Pizza boy.” Glenn chimed in and they all chuckled. 

“What’s that saying about strange bedfellows?” When he smiled Daryl took a long look at his face. He wasn’t trying to be racist but despite being a completely different type of Asian he couldn’t help but think Dima looked like Bo. He didn’t know whether Bo was slightly mannish or if Dima just had soft features. He thought another part of it was that he was still missing her like crazy. Dima’s clothes were two sizes too big for him just like Alexis’s. Daryl guessed it was just incase a walker grabbed him they had a better chance of biting fabric than skin. It gave him an extra inch of protection at the very least. “So what are we drinking to?” 

“My girl.” Daryl started. 

“Oh yes, you said she was killed. I’m sorry.” Dima said and patted Daryl’s shoulder. The gesture made him tense and Dima immediately pulled his hand back. “I had no one and nearly nothing before I came here.” 

“Her name was Bo Casina and she hated vodka.” Daryl chuckled. “She loved pistachios and she could walk on her hands.” 

“And to Herschel, this was his farm.” Glenn added. “He was a recovering alcoholic.” Dima tried not to laugh but when they started he couldn’t help it. They both laughed harder when he snorted. It had been so long since any of them had a drink their tolerance was very low. Daryl felt tipsy after just three shots and called it a night after five. 

“Light weight.” Dima teased him and Glenn. Daryl smiled when Glenn called him ‘Chekov’. Daryl stumbled upstairs and got cleaned up quickly. He had spent the day repairing fences and despite the chilly weather he was still sweaty. When he opened the door to the bathroom Dima was standing on the other side. Daryl wasn’t sure what possessed him maybe the alcohol in combination with his growing loneliness. The vodka made him feel overly confidant and more than a little horny. Instead of moving aside he grabbed Dima’s arm and pulled him into the bathroom before shutting the door. “Wait—“ Daryl ignored what he said when he kissed him full in the mouth. 

Daryl had not realized how desperately he wanted it. He knew he was just using Dima as a substitution for Bo. They had nearly the same physique, same dark hair and dark eyes. Although Dima’s skin was several shades darker than Bo. Daryl didn’t care. It didn’t matter that kissing Dima made him all-the-way-gay. He just missed contact so much – he wanted to feel something even if Dima pushed him away. Which he did. It wasn’t an overly forceful push – Dima pressed his hand to Daryl’s chest and gave him a nudge before turning his head away to break the kiss. 

“I just wanted—“ 

“Daryl… I’m sorry. I’m not what you’re looking for.” He interrupted. “I’m not a boy.” Daryl was certain he heard that wrong. Maybe Dima was telling him that he wasn’t gay and he heard the wrong word. But as he stood there realization washed over him. 

“What did you—“ 

“I’m not a boy.” Dima repeated. They both jumped when someone knocked on the bathroom door. Daryl flung it open and Glenn gave them a sheepish look when he saw them in there together. 

“What?” Daryl asked innocently. 

“Nothing,” Glenn said quickly. Dima couldn’t help but chuckle. He grabbed Dima’s hand and led him to the room he shared with Merle. He was grateful his brother wasn’t in there at the moment. He put a chair in front of the door and sat in it to keep anyone from barging in on them. After a few long seconds of silence Daryl cleared his throat.

“You were saying?” Dima just pulled his shirt over his head. He had bandages wrapped around his—her sizable bust. The large clothing she wore hid her considerable curves. Daryl almost couldn’t believe it. He was starting to think he was too trusting but when considering group mates gender was a trivial thing. He never questioned it – it was one of those things that was obvious. But this had happened twice, before the world went ass up it had never happened to him. All those one-night stands were never hiding anything under the hood. 

“I dress this way for protection.” Dima started as she pulled her shirt back on. “When I first got here I was at a military base. And I thought I was safe there – I was a doctor, they needed me to help with the disease but more and more people became infected. And more and more men became desperate. They’d lose their wives and girlfriends and in their grief and madness they’d… attack. No better than those monsters they said they were protecting us from – ripping girls apart in front of their mothers and sisters. I’m not sure why they spared me but when I got out of there I made sure no one would ever see me and think they could just take me. So I cut off all my hair, wear men’s clothes – suddenly every man I meet treats me with respect, they follow me, listen and never once try to take me. Except you…” Daryl just smiled sheepishly. “I didn’t know you were gay.” 

“I’m not.” Daryl said but shook his head when he realized how stupid that sounded. He had made the first move on a person he believed to be a man until five minutes ago. “Remember my girl Bo? The one that died – she was a transvestite. Oh wait she didn’t like that word… she was transgender. Or… whatever the hell – she had b-cups, hips and a dick.” He explained. “She taught me gender doesn’t matter and so now it doesn’t matter to me. I liked her. I like you. You’re sweet and—

“Asian.” 

“No!” Daryl said quickly. He sighed and hung his head when Dima stared him down. “Okay. Fine. Yes, you remind me of her.” 

“I thought you said she was a gymnast with long hair and a mole.” Dima said and lifted an eyebrow at him. Daryl tried not to laugh – Dima had a point. She was nothing like Bo. It was like she was an alternate universe doppelganger of her. Bo hadn’t cared about a cure. She wasn’t book smart or reserved. Dima had a very dry humor about her. Daryl had a feeling that if he brought her some flowers she’d dissect them. As he looked at her he realized they looked a great deal different. Bo’s face had been rounder – her eyes had slanted up. Dima had a more angular jaw and her eyes were round on top. Her hair was lighter and thicker than Bo’s even though it was cut short. Daryl noticed with some mirth that Dima didn’t have anything resembling an adam’s apple. Her voice was just naturally deep and paired with her accent it was understandable that he hadn’t caught it before now. “Why’d you kiss me?” 

“I wanted a kiss.” Daryl shrugged. “We’ve been spending time together… you’ve got a cute face.” He threw out random statements until it appeared she was satisfied with his answer. He twitched when she suddenly glared at him. 

“You want sex.” She said in an accusatory tone.

“Doesn’t everyone?” He mumbled but she heard him. He noticed she tensed and stepped back from him. “No – not right now I mean…” 

“We only met a few weeks ago.” 

“I know.” He said. 

“I need to know that I can trust you.” 

“You can.” He assured her. 

“Let me go.” She demanded. Daryl was suddenly confused. Dima seemed jittery like a trapped animal. He realized he was blocking the door – he had been doing so since they came in the room. “Let me out of this room.” 

“Okay.” He stood up quickly and it made her jump. He moved the chair and opened the door. “Is this all you need to trust me?” 

“Keep ‘this’ to yourself.” She added as she gestured to her chest. 

“You got it.” He agreed. 

“And don’t… y’know, grab me and stuff.” 

“Ok…” He looked around for a second – her list was started to get odd. 

“Don’t pressure me!” She suddenly snapped and he put his hands up. 

“I’m not.” Daryl felt like he was starting to sweat as she glared at him. Now there was definitely a difference between her and Bo. Bo’s glare had always made him laugh – like a bunny that was trying to be intimidating but it was too cute. Dima looked like she might seriously hurt him if he laughed. 

“Good.” She said before she walked out. 

\------

“I need to talk to you.” Daryl was more than surprised when Abraham came to him. He had a feeling this had nothing to do with watch duty or their decisions to go to Alexandria in the spring. 

“Mm-kay.” Daryl said before he finished biting off a troublesome hangnail. Abraham ushered him into the small bedroom off the living room. He closed both doors before he turned to Daryl. 

“I’m trying to get a measure of you.” Abraham said. “Cause you seem like a good guy but you got those shifty, beady little eyes that I can’t trust.” Daryl shrugged and didn’t object to Abraham’s assessment. His long stringy hair didn’t help matters – he knew he still looked like a creepy pill popper that would steal anything. Abraham looked Daryl up and down. “What do you want with Dima?” Daryl was surprised he asked about her. 

“Well I’m not planning on selling him to a cannibal crew if that’s what you’re getting at.” 

“Cut the shit – Dima is a woman. I know it, you know it. Let’s talk straight here.” Abraham interrupted. Daryl was surprised again. “I’ve been helping her ever since she got away from that military base. She wants others to believe she’s a boy – fine. I treat her like one. Rosita trusts me to protect her that’s why she doesn’t disguise herself. But Dima doesn’t trust anyone. Except you and I don’t know what you did or said but she wants to trust you.”

“Guess I’m just charming.” Daryl shrugged. He couldn’t help but feel like he was fifteen again, getting a speech from some chicks father about getting her home by curfew. It annoyed him. He wasn’t a child and neither was Dima. From her stories and body language the woman could take care of herself just fine without the ‘big brother’ act. But Daryl supposed he’d act the same way for Beth or even Maggie if Glenn weren’t around. Abraham gave him a look like he wasn’t amused. “I thought she was a man at first. She reminded me of someone that died and I’ve never had good impulse control. When I kissed her she told me the truth. She didn’t want to deceive me but gender doesn’t matter to me.” 

“Color me impressed. I thought your brother was just being a dick – I didn’t know you were actually—“ 

“Don’t call me gay.” Daryl interrupted. “Or bi or whatever else you can call someone who doesn’t give a shit. I like her – she sort of likes me. It’s just that simple.” 

“Okay.” Abraham nodded as he let Daryl’s words sink in. 

\------

 

Dima tried to suppress giggle as Daryl ticked the inside of her thigh. They had the room to themselves - Merle had watch duty. If they were lucky he’d crash somewhere down stairs but Merle still thought Dima was a boy and given his attitude toward their relationship they’d probably be interrupted. Daryl put it out of his mind as he moved closer to her. It had taken a lot of tipsy sweet talk to get her in his sleeping bag. He had switched to drinking water as soon as she said yes. Dima was still a little nervous being alone with him. She snapped her legs shut when he inched his hand higher. “Ah!” He hissed when her knees knocked his funny bone. 

“Sorry.” She apologized. 

“Damn strong thighs for such skinny legs.” Daryl said as he pulled his hand free. 

“They’re not that skinny.” Dima pouted. He nipped at her bottom lip and she pulled him into a kiss. She fidgeted a little and he pulled away. 

“Been a while?” He asked. 

“Only half a decade.” She shrugged. He lifted an eyebrow at her. “I’ve been working.” 

“Ain’t enough work in the world that’ll keep me from sex for ten years.” Daryl said and rolled his eyes. 

“Five.” She corrected him.

“Huh?” 

“Half a decade is five years… Never mind.” Dima waved it off and slid her hands along his jaw. His stubble wasn’t as prickly as she thought it would be. She thought it was funny how it grew in a completely different color than that hair on his head. She wondered for a moment if his pubes came in red of something. “Are you good with this?” She asked and it took him a minute to get out of his own head. Bo had asked him the same thing. 

“Yeah.” He nodded and rubbed her hip. “I can wait.”

“Liar.” She pressed her forehead to his as she teased him. “I’ve never been the person to jump headlong into stuff like this. First man I ever slept with I knew for a year and a half before we had sex.” 

“Time isn’t exactly on our side now a days. I thought I’d have the rest of my life with Bo. If it seems like I’m rushing you it’s because—“ 

“Wow, pulling out the ‘dead girlfriend’ ploy. Gutsy.” Dima interrupted. Daryl sat up and glared at her.

“I’m not using Bo’s death to try to play you. You don’t trust me – you don’t wanna be with me you can leave.” 

“You run hot and cold don’t you?” Dima asked as she sat up. She hugged her knees to her chest. “I’m trying. I’m sorry. And I do trust you I have a bad habit of compensating my nervousness with sarcasm and cynicism…” Daryl rolled his eyes. He glanced at her when she snuck her hand up his thigh and between his legs. Dima pulled back a little when she touched his erection where it was sill trapped in his pant leg. “Do you have protection?” 

“Nothings going to get you in here.” Daryl said. As soon as he did he realized what she was actually asking for. “Oh shit… yeah, yeah I do.” Dima watched him as he got up and went to his pack across the room. He grabbed some on a supply run and Glenn had teased him about it all the way back to the farm. He fished two out and turned back to her. “Do these expire cause some of them had dates on em…” He trailed off when he saw her standing there. She had taken off her shirt and the bandages she used to bind her breasts. She hooked her thumbs in her boxer shorts and bent over slowly as she pushed them down. For a very long moment he just stared at her. She had an appendectomy scar on the side of her flat stomach. Other than a birthmark on her knee he couldn’t see anything other than smooth tan skin. 

“Those should be good enough. Come on.” She said and laid back down in his sleeping bag. He tossed them to her and stripped quickly before returning to the warmth of the two-person bag. It had to be twenty degrees that night and the little generator was having a hard time just keeping the lights on. The heat was down as far as it could go without causing them to freeze to death overnight. Dima was jumpy, now even more so because of the skin on skin contact. Daryl tried to warm up his hands – he knew they were part of the problem.

“Turn over.” Daryl growled. Dima did what he asked and steeled herself. When Daryl started rubbing her shoulders she attempted to look at him. 

“What are you—“ 

“You’re gonna hurt us both all tense like this. Lay flat. Think about a waterfall or flowers or something.” He instructed as he continued to rub her down. He pressed his thumbs into the small of her back and she arched up instinctively. He worked his way up and whistled when one her vertebrae popped into place loudly. Dima tipped her head back and moaned something in a different language and Daryl smirked. “Gotta lift with your knees.” He said absently. He continued up to her shoulders and she let out a long deep sigh as he worked the knots out. Dima giggled when he kissed her neck and licked at her ears. “Like that?” 

“Mm-hmm.” She arched up again and he ground his erection against her ass. He expected her to jump away from him but she just kept it up. He lay flush on top of her so he could get his fingers in her hair. It was all short and kind of prickly in the back. It got longer and slightly curly on the top. He normally didn’t like short hair on a woman – especially if it was shorter than his but on Dima it was cute. He nipped at her shoulders on his way back down. He went past her small and squeezed her ass. 

“Damn…” He spread her legs open with his knees and got a good long look. They only had one little lamp on but he could see how perfect her pussy was. She smelled clean and natural. Her skin was moist and inviting. He wasn’t particularly fond of a full bush but he knew there was nothing she could really do about that. He still wanted nothing more than to sink inside her as deep as he could but he needed a condom. Where was it? “Shit…” He bit his bottom lip and let go of her supple ass to look for it. “You still awake?” 

“Yeah, why’d you stop?” She asked groggily. 

“Flip back over. Hand me one the rubbers.” Dima flipped over and grabbed at something above her head. She fumbled it into his hand. Daryl had to clear his head – it had been so long since he used one he had to take a minute and look at it before he could even get it open. It didn’t help that Dima was ready to go – she kept rubbing her thighs against him and fidgeting anxiously. Daryl finally got it open and attempted to get it on. The first time he rolled it down it sprang right back up – pinching his skin in the process. He hissed and got it all the way down the second time. “Fucking finally.” He turned his attention back to Dima – he eased her legs apart and got another look at her as she lay there. His hands shot up to her breasts. They were at least two cup sizes bigger than Bo’s. Dima panted as he gently squeezed them and rubbed his fingertips over her nipples. They actually got hard and a he laved over one before he sucked it between his lips. Dima tensed like she was expecting pain and he looked up at her. “You okay?” 

“Yeah. Men usually bite me there is all.” 

“You like being bitten?” He asked. 

“No.” She answered quickly and put her hand on the back of his head. “What you were doing feels so much better.” 

“Oh yeah?” He circled his tongue around her nipple again before switching to the other. He practically face planted into her breast – sucking a little harder and moaning when she gripped his hair. She idly bucked up and he snuck his hand down between her legs. Daryl paused for a minute when his fingers slid over her sex. He had gotten so used to Bo’s body that touching a natural woman felt foreign. It had been so easy to make her cum he knew where all her spots were. Dima was strange new territory. He looked up when he felt her slender fingers on his. She guided his movements and pressed his index finger into her clit. “Right here?” 

“Yeah… rub it just like that.” Dima arched up and gripped his shoulder with her free hand. She had him move down further. He found the source of her heat and slipped his middle finger inside. “Ahh!” She put her head back for a second before she pulled his hand back. He added another finger and she arched up. She was tight and wet and ready. He leaned back and rested on his knees and pulled her ass into his lap by her thighs. 

“God damn…” He sighed as he slid into her. Her thighs tensed but she showed no signs that he was hurting her so he kept going. 

“Daryl! Yes…” Dima arched into him. She bent her knee before she stretched one leg up to his shoulder. He nipped at her ankle as he guided himself deeper inside her. He went slowly at first – she growled and gripped his wrist when he teased her. He pulled back when she reared up. He thrust in kind of quick and kept still. Dima yelped and her whole body tensed. 

“Mm that’s the spot.” He growled as he held her leg to his chest. “Isn’t it?” he pulled out and did it again and she cursed. Or at least he thought it was a curse – she wasn’t speaking English. Dima arched up and gripped the sleeping bag. He used her leg to keep her close and pressed into her. 

“Daryl—Ah!” Daryl swelled but he didn’t come – she felt herself stretch but it was so good. Even with that little twinge of pain it felt incredible. Dima tightened around him – her orgasm starting to build with every buck of Daryl’s hips. He kept jabbing into her spot and she nearly passed out from the sensation. It radiated from her core – spilling over her like hot water until she was consumed by it. “Fuck that’s it!” 

“Oh shit…yeah!” Daryl got loud when he finally came. He pulled out and watched as he filled the latex. Daryl rubbed up and down her thigh as he rode out his orgasm. He noticed finger shaped bruises forming on her skin – he hadn’t realized he was holding her so tight. She stretched her arms above her head and spread her toes. Daryl smirked at the deeply pleased look on her face. Undoubtedly she was mentally congratulating herself on picking him. 

“Nice warm up.” She purred and tossed the other condom at him. Daryl’s eyebrows went up and she chuckled.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl's luck finally turns around...

“We got people.” Abraham called. Daryl grabbed his crossbow and told Dima to stay inside with Beth and Alexis before going to check it out. Beth scoffed at the thought of hiding behind the men and went out on the veranda. The small group was already turning to walk away – deciding to find shelter somewhere else than to fight the row of burly men standing on the porch. They were almost too far away to make out but Beth suddenly gasped. 

“Bo!!” She screamed. The group of people stopped and turned back to the house. Beth pushed past Abraham and Merle and bolted out into the yard. 

“Beth!” Bo laughed as she ran to her friend and embraced her. Maggie came soon after and they nearly fell over as they laughed. 

“You’re alive! You’re alive.” Beth cried. “It’s been months. We thought you died in the prison attack.” Maggie tried to get her to settle down. She looked at the two people Bo had shown up with. They all turned their attention to the fields when they heard the distinctive growl of a walker. There were several of them heading towards the house. 

“Everyone inside.” Rick ordered as Abraham, Daryl and Merle went to handle the small herd. When they got back Bo was still hugging Beth – trying to get her to calm down. 

“Daryl said you were dead.” Beth said as she let go of Bo. Maggie handed her and her traveling companions some water. 

“He had every reason to think that. I was sick – I was in ‘A’ block when the wall got blown out. When I woke up I was still closed in the cell Herschel put me in. My I.V. still attached and everything. I woke up when the bag was empty. There were walkers everywhere – no sign of anyone. I was weak from barely eating for two days. I honestly don’t know how I made it out – a lot of it is blurry and I’m not sure if I dreamt crawling around in the air vents of if it was real. Point is, I spent another week at the prison by myself before I was well enough to leave.” 

“A week?” Glenn asked. “I stayed for three days after the attack – how did I miss you?” 

“I don’t know how long the I.V. kept me alive… I woke up in the administration offices one day – back in my ‘C’ block cell another – it’s all really jumbled. All I know is when I left I followed a set of tracks that went out through the motor pool – back towards the side yard.”

“Those were our tracks.” Rick said as he gestured to Carl, Daryl and Michonne. “It’s been nearly three months—

“Rick, I was recovering from a flu that had a high mortality rate. I spent a good three weeks holed up in a gas station, eating stale chips and studying a map to find out where I was. I ran into Irvin and Trina about a week ago.” Bo explained and gestured to the two people she showed up with. “I had no idea the farm would still be here I was just grasping at straws. Have you guys been here the whole time?” 

“Mostly.” Michonne answered. 

“You look weak.” Merle pointed out. “If you’re still sick you could infect everyone here.” 

“Trying to get rid of me already?” She asked as she glared at him. “Not gonna lie I could use a solid eight hours in a real bed.” 

“You’ve been through a lot. Y’all can take our room.” Rick offered. “Me and Carl can sleep down here from now on.” 

“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up and fed.” Beth grabbed her hand and led her off. She motioned for Irvin and Trina to follow and they went off to the kitchen. 

\------

 

“He told me about you.” Bo looked up after she lit her cigarette. Dima came up to her on the porch and held up half a bottle vodka. Bo couldn’t help but laugh. It seemed like it was decades ago that Shane had made the same peace offering. In actuality it had only been three years. Bo had spent the last twenty-four hours going in and out of sleep. Irvin had apparently taken a shine to Beth and Alexis – he was about the same age as them so they spent their time acting like regular teenagers. Trina was older – perhaps even older than Merle – she spent her time trying to find her place within the new larger group. “Oh but you don’t like this.” 

“Beggars can’t be choosy. I’ve been dying for a drink.” Bo said and took the offered bottle. 

“How are you feeling?” Dima asked as she waved Bo’s smoke away. 

“You a doctor?” 

“Actually… yes.” 

“Oh.” Bo took a shot from the bottle and swallowed it with a hard gulp. She hissed. “Been worse is you can believe it. Two years ago I got stabbed in the neck and chest right over there.” She pointed towards the shed.

“Daryl told me.” Dima said casually. “You’ve got more lives than a cat it would seem.” 

“So what else has our ‘common interest’ told you about me?”

“Not much. Honestly I imagined you a little more ‘butch’.” Dima looked her up and down. “If I didn’t know you were a transgender I would never notice it.” 

“Thank you.” Bo said before she gave the bottle to Dima. “I could say the same for you.” 

“I’m not transgender - I’m afraid I’m not nearly as… resourceful as other females.” Dima said and blushed as she looked down at her disguise. “Or as adept at dealing with Daryl and his moods.” Bo almost laughed. She never thought she’d see the day where she’d be talking to another woman about Daryl. 

“He’s feeling guilty. I’ll talk to him.” Bo regretted saying that the instant it came out of her mouth. She wasn’t good with words. The last time she said she’d talk to Daryl for someone she ended up cursing him out for being mean to Carol. She had no idea what she would say to him about how he was treating his new woman. It was odd enough seeing him again after so long. They had never actually broken up but he wasn’t really cheating on her. 

“Hey.” Daryl said when he came out on to the back porch and saw them there. 

“Hey yourself.” Bo greeted him like normal and tossed the pack of cigarettes at him. “Why are you being such a turd to Dima?” 

“What?” They both grunted stupidly. 

“You’ve been avoiding me too. Stop being such a pussy, admit this is fucking awkward.” 

“This is fucking awkward.” Daryl said. 

“If I didn’t know any better I’d swear you weren’t happy to see me.” Bo put her hands on her hips. Daryl flushed and for a second he looked like he was searching for something meaningful to say. 

“Didn’t miss you messing with me like that.” Daryl said and lit his cigarette. Dima chuckled. “I’m trying not to be selfish here. How do you think it would make Dima feel if I talked about how happy I am that you’re not dead?” 

“I’m good with it.” Dima shrugged. He looked at her and she gave him a shit-eating grin. 

“You two are not allowed to team up on me.” 

“You can’t tell us what to do.” Bo countered before she took another swig from the vodka bottle. Daryl tried not to roll his eyes. It was nice to see Bo hadn’t changed but he was doomed now that she and Dima were on good terms. After making tentative plans to meet up and talk later Daryl went off to check the snare traps. He ate dinner, occupied himself with chopping firewood for a few hours before he retreated inside because of the cold. Daryl was beyond overjoyed that Bo was alive. But he couldn’t escape a feeling of guilt whenever he saw her. Every time she looked at him she seemed a little sad. Finding the group had probably been her driving force – the thought of getting back to where she belonged keeping her going through her illness. Surviving walkers and the harsh winter, finding new friends who undoubtedly wanted to go other places than to a farm that was full of strangers and the unknown. Daryl wanted to move on and deal with his grief but now there was no point. He had started something with Dima and she didn’t deserve to be cast aside. Neither did Bo. He sighed – he couldn’t be so greedy as to hang on to both of them but Bo had no one else who understood her. Rick and Merle knew what she was but they continued to treat her like an outcast. After being alone for so long anyone would need companionship. He wanted to go to her but he couldn’t cheat on Dima…

Daryl found himself in front of the master bedroom door where Bo had been staying with Irvin and Trina. He had to at least talk to her - she’d just start to resent him if he never told her how much he missed her or how much he regretted leaving her behing. Daryl walked in without knocking and was greeted by something he wasn’t expecting to see. Dima and Bo didn’t seem to notice that their moment was intruded upon. They just continued to kiss. Bo moved her hands up to cup Dima’s chin as she tilted her head and slid her tongue into the other woman’s mouth. Dima moaned and gripped Bo’s hips. Daryl closed the door and they jumped apart. The empty bottle of vodka rolled from it’s spot between their feet. Daryl picked it up and snorted. 

“That explains a lot.” He said. “So are you both just gay now or is this some kind of … what the hell is this?” he asked. 

“We were talking about you and it turned into this.” Bo said and shrugged. When she hiccuped Dima giggled. 

“I feel like I should ask someone to come in here to witness this just incase you try to deny it when you’re sober.” Daryl said to himself. 

“Forgive him, he’s a little repressed.” Bo said to Dima. She just pulled Bo into another kiss. 

“Shit…” Daryl sighed. If he wasn’t so pissed he’d find the sight incredibly arousing. He decided to say something when Dima popped open the first button on Bo’s shirt. “You just met her a week ago and you trust her already?” 

“Bo understands what I have to go through on a daily basis.” 

“Is it true no one else but us and the red head knows she’s actually female?” Bo asked. 

“Yeah.” Daryl answered shortly. “So… was it me? Did I turn you both gay?” 

“You’re so self centered.” Bo teased him. Daryl rolled his eyes. Dealing with drunk girls was very annoying while sober. He couldn’t help but feel like this was some sort of really elaborate prank. But half a bottle of 80 proof alcohol shared between two women who both weighed less than 130 pounds – it was understandable they were seriously buzzed. Either way he wasn’t really in the mood for it. He went in there hoping to get some things off his chest. Their inebriation complicated his plans. And the making out was very distracting. “I would’ve thought by now you’d abandon labels like that. And things like monogamy.” Daryl just looked at her. “It means being with only one person.” 

“There are dead people roaming around trying to eat us all. We barely have enough food and water to make it through every night – not exactly a great time for tranny, cross dresser orgies.” He snapped. 

“He’s right.” Dima said. “Maybe we should talk about this before just jumping in.” She tried to keep a straight face but when Bo snorted she couldn’t help but laugh. 

“Daryl we live in a nightmarish world with far and few bright spots. I understand that we’ve been through a lot but if there’s anyone deserving of more good times it’s you.” Bo said before she reached over and grabbed his hand. His eyebrows shot up as she pulled him closer. 

“Wha—I don’t—“ 

“Aw, he thought we were going to leave him out.” Bo said as she looked at Dima. She pretended to pout before she gave Daryl a little push back. 

“Go lock the door.” She ordered. Daryl stood there for a few seconds – truly dumb struck. He jammed his nails into the palm of his hand and the pain let him know he wasn’t dreaming. In all his thoughts about how things would play out this had not crossed his mind. As he turned the lock he wondered if they’d feel the same tomorrow morning. They’d probably be hung over, sore and a little embarrassed that all it took to was a little booze to turn them out. But everyone needed a release. He heard them kissing loudly behind him and he groaned at the sudden snugness of his pants. His stride back to the bed was awkward – like he was interrupting something private between Bo and Dima. Bo pulled away from her and stood up. She suddenly hugged Daryl – he instinctively put his arms around her. The gesture alone felt like paradise – to be able to feel her against him just the way he remembered. 

“I’m glad your back.” He said. She pulled away a little so she could kiss him. He didn’t forget Dima was there – he could feel her looking at them but it wasn’t uncomfortable to have the audience. His eyes slid shut as Bo worked her tongue around his. 

“I missed you.” Bo said once she ended the kiss. She took a step back and pulled her shirt over her head. Dima glanced at Daryl – they were really doing this. “You shy like him?” she asked Dima. She noticed the way Dima was twiddling the hem of her shirt. 

“A little. Booze or no booze I’ve never done this before… D-dually so I’ve never been with a transgender.” 

“I don’t bite.” Bo said as she stood Dima up. 

“She’s lying.” Daryl quipped and Bo gave him the finger. Bo leaned in and pecked along Dima’s neck. 

“Relax.” She instructed as she pulled Dima’s shirt up and over her head. She unraveled the bandages that concealed Dima’s breasts and cupped them once they were free. Bo then unsnapped her bra and let it slide off her. She stepped out of her jeans and hooked her thumbs into her panties. She didn’t mind Dima’s attention as she revealed her body. She looked amazed and curious. Bo smirked before she grabbed Daryl’s shirt and ripped it open. The buttons flew everywhere and he made a face. It was one of only two long sleeve shirts that he had. “You’re falling behind.” Bo said before she lay down on the bed and waited for them. Dima shed her pants and took one last look at Daryl before she joined Bo. Daryl had a hard time getting his pants open as he watched them. Dima’s breasts were definitely bigger but Bo’s ass was so plump. They kissed and tickled each other until Bo slid her hand down between Dima’s legs. 

Dima keened as Bo fingered her. Daryl was a little miffed – he hadn’t been able to make Dima moan like that with just two digits. Granted Bo was going slower and she probably knew more about female genitalia than him cause she stroked something that made Dima arch high off the bed and whine. She babbled something in a different language and even though Bo didn’t understand her she grinned and worked her hand faster. Bo kissed along her jaw and licked at her ears until Dima was purring and clinging to her. 

Daryl finally got his pants off and Bo pulled away from Dima so he could lie between them. So much skin contact was overwhelming. He could feel Bo’s erection brush his hip and Dima slid her hand over his chest. Bo nuzzled his neck and Dima bit his earlobe. It was surreal. They had no condoms and no lube so there was no actual penetration but when Bo bent down to blow him he sucked his fingers before teasing them around the rim of her hole. She dug her nails into his thigh and moaned around her mouthful. Dima writhed against him as he sucked her breasts. He put his other arm around Dima’s back and pulled her in closer so he could get his hand on her breast. Bo pulled back from his cock and maneuvered over to straddle his thighs. 

Dima watched intrigued as Bo gripped her erection and Daryl’s in the same hand and pumped them quickly. “Fuck…” Daryl didn’t care that he was cumming too soon – it felt amazing. He held Dima close to his side and panted as he peaked. They seemed to stop to watch him as he ejaculated all over his stomach. “Shit yes…”


	18. Chapter 18

“We should definitely talk.” Bo stated before she looked at Dima and then Daryl. They were out by the burned out barn - away from most of the prying eyes and out of an ear shot. She shifted a bit and waited for them to say something but they avoided looking at each other and fidgeted just like her. “Shit, we’re trash.” She sighed. 

“This is just so unprecedented.” Dima said as she wrung the hem of her shirt in her hands. “I mean so much of the world has changed and then the things you do. I ate gofer with snake jerky this morning for breakfast.” 

“You’re welcome.” Daryl said a little sarcastically. 

“My point is that this is bizarre. But I… I don’t regret anything. Daryl you’re an angel if I can be extremely sappy.” 

“Well from what you told me about the other guys you’ve come across I’d have to agree.” Bo said. 

“I don’t want to get in the way of what you guys have or had.” Dima said. They both looked at her sharply. 

“Why’s it sound like you’re trying to back out?” Daryl asked. 

“Because I am. At least for a little while.” She added quickly.

“Dima don’t—“

“Listen, it’ll give you two a chance to catch up, think things over. It’ll also give me some time to wrap my brain around what I’d be getting myself into.” Dima interrupted. She glanced at Bo. “You’re an extraordinary woman. Who you are, the things you’ve survived. I’m gonna be honest I’ve never been attracted to other women. And I’ve never been with a transgender before. It’s a lot to take in.” 

“I understand.” Bo said. She pulled Dima into an easy hug and kissed her. “Just know while you’re taking your time to think that I actually do want you with us.” They let go of each other and they both looked at Daryl. “What do you think of all this?” she asked. Dima liked how straight forward she was. She would’ve just left Daryl alone with his thoughts. His answer was a shrug and they somehow both knew what that meant. He was reluctantly on board. Dima smiled and kissed him on the cheek before she headed back towards the house. 

Daryl and Bo stood there and watched her until she was out of sight. “When did you become such a pussy magnet?” she asked as she turned to him. “Didn’t you tell me you weren’t very popular before all this.” 

“Well that was when women had a lot of guys to choose from. Now they fall for anything that can protect them from the walkers.” Daryl said. She smiled - he was still so humble about how great he was. With Merle around to remind him every day that he was just some uneducated hill billy it wasn’t surprising that he still had insecurities. It was kind of cute and a little sad for someone his age.

“You really think it’s that simple? That we’re so simple?” Bo asked. 

“I almost hate to say it - you would hate me if we met when things were normal. I was just about as clean, bought a third less sociable and charming. High and drunk all the time. Sleeping in a puddle of puke more than twice a week.” 

“A regular American prince.” Bo snorted. “I’m guessing cross dressers and trannies weren’t high up on your lists of likes. Well if it makes you feel better I thought all people from the south fucked farm animals. That your mother and sister were the same person. Making moonshine with your brother-cousins and picking your banjo. I was a total snob - back in the day I wouldn’t have even pissed on you for a million dollars.” Daryl snorted. 

“And now?” 

“Well now… I’d piss on you for free.” Bo shrugged. Daryl chuckled and it made her smile wide to hear it. It had been so long since she had gotten so much as a good look at his face. The last time she could remember was right before she got sick. They had come back from the trailer park and his eyes looked so blue in the early morning light. 

“I’m not into that.” 

“Well damn I guess I’ll just have to take you behind the shed and blow you.” Bo said and took his hand. Daryl let out an impressed little growl. She led him to the other side of the yard and pushed him against the back wall of the shed. Somewhere in her mind she thought maybe they should talk instead of jumping right back into sex. But then Daryl put his hand on the back of her head and pulled her into a kiss and successfully silenced that voice. His other hand went around the small of her back and held her to him as he devoured her mouth. 

God, he really did miss her. Sex was sex and kissing was kissing but she and Dima were totally different at both. Dima let him take the lead but Bo fought him for dominance. Dima took off her own clothes and Bo… well her hand was already down the front of his pants. “Mmm… we never got our second day at the trailer. I really want you to fuck me.” She panted in his ear. Daryl nearly came right then and there. “As soon as you cum I’m going on a run for vaseline.”

“Well get to it then.” Daryl huffed. Bo got down on her knees just as she was pulling his cock out of his fly. “Oh shit…” It felt just as good as he remembered. Her slippery tongue on that sensitive spot under the head. Warm lips tight around the tip as she worked the rest in her hand. “Holy shit.” He put his head back and bucked into her mouth. She moaned and her spit made a very lewd sound against his skin. She cupped his balls and he was so close already. 

“Is this where the line forms?” They both jumped when they heard Merle. He leaned against the side of the shed and smirked. “Whoops my bad - thought you were out here with a real girl. Thought you’d wait at least two weeks before being desperate enough to go back to this thing.” He looked down at Bo but she didn’t stop or pay him any attention. Daryl hissed and arched his back. Walking in on her and Dima last night was no where near as awkward as having Merle there while Bo was blowing him. He was too close to stop and Bo didn’t slow down. “Is that why you do it? Cause it makes you squirm with—

“Shut up. Oh yeah, Bo—!” He stood on the balls of his feet and tangled his hand in her hair. She caught his jizz in her mouth and waited until he was done before she turned and spit it in Merle’s direction. Daryl took a deep breath - trying to enjoy his high as much as possible. “…What do you want?” he asked when Merle didn’t leave. Bo tucked him back in and zipped him up before she stood up. Bo was about to walk away when Daryl grabbed her arm. “Wait on me, I’ll go with you.” He cupped her face and guided her in for a kiss. She snuck her hand down and goosed him as she pulled away. Bo then walked off without giving Merle so much as a second glance.

“That was kind of selfish.” Merle said. Daryl gave him a look. “Not even gonna give it a handjob in return.” 

“The taste of my cum turns her off. Do you need something?” Merle gave him a strange look when Daryl finally turned to him. Like something about Daryl’s easy expression unnerved him. His gaze was too dreamy - it was weird not to see him scowling. And since when did Daryl talk like that? When ever Bo was around he got too mouthy for Merle’s liking. He just said something Merle could use as ammunition later without a second thought to be had. “No? Alright then.” He left to find Bo and whoever else wanted to go on the run with them. 

——----

“This place is super sketchy.” Bo said as she looked around the porn store they found. It was called ‘Cherry Pop’ and it wasn’t nearly as swanky as the one they found a year ago in the ritzy vacation town. The windows were blacked out, there were posters of girls spread eagle and sucking dick on the walls. The video sections were separated into two racks: ‘straight’ and ‘fag shit’. There were ‘private rental rooms’ in the back and a huge stripper pole in the center of the store. There was a surprisingly large selection of BDSM equipment including something called a ‘horse dong’ that made Daryl cringe. “Don’t worry honey. You’re ass is perfectly safe with me. Just don’t show that to Dima - she might get curious.” Daryl snorted and gave the grotesquely large dildo a flick just for the hell of it. 

“Speaking of which…” He started. 

“Oh boy.” Bo snorted. 

“… Have you ever had sex with a woman?” He asked. She was shocked he took the question in that direction. 

“Does what we did with Dima count?” 

“Well, you weren’t actually… y’know ‘in’ her so no I guess not.” Daryl answered. 

“Well then by those standards, I’m still a virgin.” She said. “I’m guessing you’re really asking if I’ve ever put my dick inside someone else. I haven’t.” 

“No need to be vulgar.” He joked as he moved to see what she was doing. Bo chuckled. 

“Well right around the time normal little boys get the urge to do those sorts of things I was trying to become a girl so I was a little distracted.” she said. “You volunteering to be my first?” 

“My ass has hair on it.” He said and she made a face. “Plus you’ve smelled my farts.” 

“Eggth stop talking.” Bo crinkled her nose and Daryl smirked. “You remember who your first time was with?” she asked to change the subject off the less than desirable aspects of his body.

“Some old hooker.” Daryl answered. “Merle was on leave when I was twelve - thought it was appalling I hadn’t had sex yet and took me out one night after dad passed out. I sat in the back of his pickup and waited outside this gross strip club where old pole dancers go to die. He came back with this red headed scag. She blew me on the back of the tail gate - swallowed like it was old hat and then asked for twenty bucks. I was broke so Merle clocked her and we got the hell out of there.” 

“Jesus!” Bo exclaimed. “That’s terrible.” 

“Nah, I thought it was great at the time. But I also had a mullet then so my judgement wasn’t so great.” 

“Now it’s spot on.” Bo said sarcastically. “Looking for lube with your tranny girlfriend.” 

“Ah the good life.” He sighed. “Actually lost my virginity all on my own in high school. This girl - little nerd who thought my silence meant ‘yes - I’d love for you to hang around me all day’ she uhh… she didn’t want to blow me. Something about being worried about STD’s. Anyway I get tired of all her over planning so one day after the bell I drag her into a bathroom and shove her in the only stall with a door. Smelt like piss and armpits - she smelt like skittles and dandruff shampoo. Condom on, panties down… she cries - the rest is history.” 

“Did you think that was great?” She asked. 

“Yeah, until she cried rape and I got expelled. I was flunking everything anyway but a week later she tracks me down and we fuck again. She keeps coming back like I’m her dirty secret - so she can tell her other little nerd friends she has a boyfriend or some shit. She finally stopped coming around when she walked in on me and some other bitch.” 

“You’re charming. How could she give up on you.” Bo said and rolled her eyes. 

“What bout you?” He asked after he was done packing his bag with batteries. He grabbed a few dirty magazines for Merle and jimmied the register open for anything worth burning. “Who popped your cherry?” 

“My overly understanding senior year, math teacher. He was this way too good looking black guy. Stood up for me when he could, stayed in touch over the summer. We played it cool for a bit but one night I’m in his apartment and he just starts kissing me. Telling me how beautiful I am. His cock was so big I thought I was going to die.” They both glance at the horse dong and chuckle. “Not that big but it was pretty huge. Anyway, with a lot of pain and lube he finally fits - I scream so loud someone calls the cops. He gets rid of them, fucks me until I cum and I couldn’t sit straight for a week.” Daryl hummed letting her know he was still listening. “Time goes on, we keep screwing until he gets a real girlfriend. They got married and I went on tour.” 

“Damn. What’s that saying about ‘birds of a feather’?” He asked. When she got close enough he touched her earlobe with a finger vibe he had been toying with. She jumped at the noise and turned to him. 

“That for Dima?” Bo asked. He got a look on his face that told her he was instantly envisioning her using the little vibrator on herself. Moaning in Russian as she touched her clit and clung to the sheets. Nipples hard and pussy wet - all cute and high pitched as she came. 

“It is now.” He answered. 

“Shit…” She sighed and leaned against the counter. 

“Been meaning to ask if you still—“ 

“I thought about her using it on herself and I got hard.” Bo interrupted. He looked at her for a second. 

“Guess that answers my question.” Daryl said. He moved to the door they came through and pulled a rack in front of it to keep it closed. 

“What are you—“ She gasped when he grabbed her hand and led her to the back rooms. One of the doors was already locked and they bristled at the thought of a dead guy in there with his dick out. They opted for the stall farthest away from him. The door lock still worked and the old tv-vcr combo didn’t get in the way but Daryl kicked it over just for the fuck of it. He pressed Bo against the wall and kissed her as he unbuttoned her shirt. She unhooked her bra and as soon as she did Daryl’s hands were under the fabric. Bo pushed his vest off his shoulders and started on the buttons to his shirt. He put his mouth on her nipple and moved his hands down to her jeans. “Fuck…” 

“It’s what I’m trying to do.” He growled as he dragged her down to the floor. He laid her out on top of their shirts and yanked her jeans off her legs. Bo handed him a bottle of lube and he got to work preparing her. She hissed and writhed - complained that it had been a while. Two months was an incredibly long time. She let out a yelp that he didn’t like the sound of so he slowed down - took a deep breath and rubbed her thigh until her body relaxed. He actually didn’t mind fingering her. They had to rush through everything lately it was nice to take a second and watch her - all snug around his middle and ring finger. He poured more lube on them and worked it around her hole with his thumb before he rubbed up her taint. 

“Daryl…” She gasped his name when he cupped her little scrotum with his free hand. He never spent a lot of time touching her cock - except maybe to bring her off. She wasn’t that big, not bigger than him anyway. She really was hard already - when he stroked his index finger over the tip she mewled and bucked against his fingers. When he looked up she was slowly rubbing her tits. 

“You good with this?” He asked and pressed his middle finger into her prostate. Her body naturally contracted around his fingers. “Wanna come on my fingers - did you miss me that much?” 

“Cock…cock tease.” She panted. Bo slid her hands down and over his as she leaned up. He met her half way when he saw she wanted a kiss. “Mmm I did miss you. I can never get my fingers at the right angle.”

“Oh you mean this here?” He asked and rubbed over her spot again.

“Yes…yes…” Daryl worked her open until she was begging for his cock. When he couldn’t take it anymore he slicked himself up and slid in. “Shit!” Bo screamed and put her legs around his back. She pulled him down into another kiss and curled her hips up. The motion made him slide all the way in and she whimpered into his mouth. 

“Fuck I missed you.” Daryl confessed before he bit his bottom lip. “I know I had Dima but god damn it - I missed you so fucking much.”

“Show me.” Bo panted before she dug her nails into the small of his back. He jerked forward and she put her head back and screamed. He thrust in and out just as hard and soon he was moaning just as loud as her. The little room was too hot but Bo wiped the sweat out of Daryl’s eyes and pulled him into her harder. He watched her plump little nipples jump every time he smacked against her ass. The tight suction of her body - the feel of her erection against his stomach. 

“Damn it… I’m cumming—“

“Not yet!” Bo yelped. “Right there… just a little more Daryl… oh my God.” Bo realized that Daryl got over stimulated easily. His life time of abuse left him starved for anything that felt good. So when he got it he came too quick sometimes because he honestly couldn’t help it. He wasn’t young enough to cum and then be hard again five minutes later. But it didn’t take forever for Bo to reach her peak - and when asked Daryl could control himself long enough for her to get there. “Just a bit more… that’s good. Right on that spot…” He played with her nipples and tickled her sides before he grabbed her cock. He jerked her so fast she arched up and ejaculated all over his hand in less than ten seconds. She screamed like it took her by surprise - grabbing his arms and holding on like if she let go she’d cease to be. “Cum inside me…” She panted and Daryl didn’t have to be told twice. He gripped her hip to keep her still and let out a few strained screams from how intense his orgasm was. It felt like it wouldn’t stop. Every shot was just as intense as the last one. He felt Bo squeeze him and face planted into her breasts. 

“Holy shit…” He sighed and tried to remind himself to breathe. He slipped from inside her as he went soft and smiled to himself at the deeply sated moan she let out.

“God damn… you realize we both just got super horny thinking about another girl?” Bo asked after she caught her breath. Daryl chuckled. 

“Yeah.” He agreed. 

“You think she knows how freaky we really are?” 

“Nah, she has no clue.” Daryl sighed. He chuckled when she did. “Mind if we stay here a bit. That was twice in one day for me.” 

“Sorry darling.” Bo said as she glanced at her watch. “It’ll be dark in an hour. We gotta go.” He groaned and rolled off of her. She stood up and smirked seeing there was still a box of tissues in the old ‘spank’ room. She grabbed a few and cleaned herself up. Daryl finally got up when she pulled her jeans from under him. She wiggled into her panties and zipped up her jeans as he handed her her bra. She was buttoning her shirt as he opened the door warily. She got her axe ready when she heard the thunking too. There were a few walkers trying to get in the back door. They had been louder than they thought. Either that or those walkers could somehow smell them - they were particularly ripe at the moment. Luckily the front door was clear and they got out and back on the road to the farm without any of them noticing. On the walk back Daryl grabbed Bo’s hand. When she looked at him he avoided her gaze by pretended to study the road ahead intently. Bo just smiled and laced their fingers together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aww they’ve come a long way since their last trip to a porn store.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things take a HARD turn in this chapter - just a warning

They got separated AGAIN and every step that took Daryl away from Bo was like a million knives in his feet telling him to go back and find her. But as they scattered he had to defend Dima and Beth. Bo was more than likely a mile ahead of them with how quick she was. He tried not to worry when minutes turned into hours and hours turned into days apart. She knew the rendezvous points. Bo knew their final destination. Before they even set out for Washington Daryl pulled both his girls aside and told them what to do just incase. Just incase the car broke down, just incase there was herd, just incase he got bitten - everything. Well when the car broke down, they pressed on. When they walked right into a herd, Bo ran without looking back. And as Daryl checked himself he was thankful he hadn’t been bitten. But with Dima and Beth in tow he wasn’t sure how long that would last. They both seemed to be losing their shit in not so obvious ways. 

God, he needed his brother more than he has ever needed him. And where was Bo? 

———

Bo ran until she couldn’t anymore. And when she finally stopped she noticed the highway marker was five miles from where the car broke down. There was nobody with her. Nobody that could keep up. She was alone. Again - just like she had been before she ran into Shane. She decided to collect herself at the rest stop another mile ahead. She knew it would be there - she studied the map every night for a week before they left. She had an axe and a knife to clear it of walkers. Luckily there were none - at least none she needed to kill. The one milling about in the parking lot didn’t even noticed her as she walked by. It wasn’t until she smashed open a vending machine that it turned her way. She was about to hole-up in the visitors center when she spotted a sleeper truck that would protect her better. 

Thankfully the truck hadn’t been touched since it was parked there and after she locked the doors she got a solid two hours of sleep. She woke to the sound of a gun shot. She peeked out and didn’t recognize the people making their way into the rest stop. They took out the walkers encroaching on them, grabbed what they could from the machine before they continued down the road. Bo sighed once they were gone. As she laid back in the sleeper cabin she wondered why she didn’t call out to them or try to join them. They looked nice enough. But she doubted they’d give a shit about another mouth to feed. They definitely wouldn’t help her find Daryl and Dima.

Bo managed to fall back asleep and woke up naturally this time. It was dark out and there was no sign anyone else had come to the rest stop. There were a new set of walkers staggering down the highway. She tried to think of something that would grab Daryl’s attention without alerting anyone else that she was there. When the sun started coming up she ventured out of the truck to relieve herself. While she was squatting in the nearby woods she noticed something out the corner of her eye. It was a buck. From the size of it’s antlers she knew it had survived for a long time. She stayed still and quiet knowing how aggressive they could be and soon enough it moved on. She finished up and ripped the shirt off a walker corpse to wipe. She noticed how the blood stained the concrete and got an idea.

———

Bo had to move on from the rest stop when she started running out of food. She stored enough for her trip and hit the road but not before drawing her best rendition of a doe on the sign heading into and out of the rest stop. Daryl would recognize it. Every ‘deer crossing’ sign she came across she used mud to write a ‘D’ on it. Hopefully he was still headed north and eventually he’d get back on the highway. Everyone in their group knew about her tattoo so if any of them saw it they’d know too. As she traveled she heard walkers but more surprising than that was the random screams she could hear. She kept an eye out for the survivors letting them out but they never crossed her path and she refused to venture into the woods to find them. She wasn’t Rick - she couldn’t save anyone but herself. 

She made it her mission to make it to a rest stop every night. They were about twenty miles apart and her legs felt like noodles at the end of the day but it more often than not gave her a safe place to sleep and stale food to eat. She managed to reach one ahead of night fall and ran right into a group of people. She stopped in her tracks when she saw them all just sitting there - on motorcycles no less. They stared right back at her. Neither party really knowing if the other was really there. “Hi there.” One said. 

“Hello.” She said back automatically. 

“You alone, little gal?” He asked as the others perked up. 

“For now.” Bo shrugged before she went about drawing her symbol on the sign. She looked up at the sky and then reached for the map. She sighed deeply when she hear the click of gun come from the bikers. 

“What you got?” The ring leader asked. 

“Not much.” She said. He shook his head. 

“Well your ‘not much’ belongs to Negan now.” He said. She started at him for a long beat, wondering if she could take off into the woods before he got a shot off. He cocked back the hammer and she put her hands up. She took the map out and looked at it one last time before dropping it on the ground with her pack. When she moved to walk away they all laughed. “Where you think you’re going sweetie?” 

“Where I want.” She answered defiantly. 

“Well where you wanna go, is where Negan is.” 

“Aren’t you Negan?” 

“We’re all Negan.” A different one answered. 

“Now, come on. You can ride with me. I don’t bite.” The ring leader said as he gestured to the seat behind him. “And we’re going to be going pretty fast so I don’t suspect you’ll try anything but just in case - John is going to tie you to me.” He said as she inched closer hesitantly. One dismounted and grabbed her arm to hurry her along while another went to collect her pack. 

“Damn you stink.” John commented with some mirth. Bo glared at him - was he unaware that anyone would smell from being out in the wilderness for more than a few days. “You still fine as shit though.” 

“I know right? Maybe we should get a piece of her before Negan lays claim.” 

“Shut up Mike - y’know he doesn’t go for that shit. Even if she says yes, which I doubt she will even with a gun to her head - she still smells like shit.” The leader shut down one of his subordinates before he could even give Bo a second look. John tied her hands around his waist. As soon as he let go she tested the strength of his knot and the rope.

“Pussy is still pussy.” 

“Shut the fuck up!” He barked at him before he started his bike. 

———

They road for at least an hour. Bo could barely see the signs they were going so fast. She suspected they did that on purpose so she wouldn’t be able to back track to where they picked her up. She noticed they went even faster when they spotted walkers on the side of the road. They soon came upon a large compound a buzz with activity - both walker and human. They slowed just long enough for the people inside to get the gate open. They rode through and Bo took note of the number of guards at the main entrance - the seemingly endless avenues in the huge factory complex. They parked and Bo was hauled off the bike and into a building. She studied the people that were going about their daily lives inside the safe haven. He brought her to a locker room and presented her to an older woman. 

“Clean her up.” He said before he simply left her there. Bo watched him go before she moved to leave. 

“Hold it bitch.” The old woman said. “Get your ass back here.” Bo turned to her when she heard the click of a gun. She pointed the gun at her head as she handed Bo an index card and a pen. “Sit down and fill that out.” Bo looked down at the card and it had a space for her name, age, height, weight, phone number and social security number. She gave the woman a look and she just gestured for Bo to take an empty seat and fill out what she could. It was a little difficult with her hands tied together but she got it done and handed it back to the woman. She took up a polaroid camera and took Bo’s picture. The flash disoriented her - it had been forever since someone took her picture and the act alone seemed highly suspect. She put the picture with the card before she pushed Bo into the shower area of locker room. 

Bo started to panic - she was going to make her strip and the woman didn’t look like the most open minded individuals. She stopped Bo and clumsily untied her hands as she kept the gun to her chin. “Young cunts like you always wanna run when they get here. Well I don’t feel like explaining to Negan why I shot you so listen and listen good. No-one if going to attack you. No one is going to rape you here. No one cares what you’ve been through. So take these clothes and soap, take a shower and don’t do anything stupid. And I won’t shoot you in the face. Understand?” 

“…” Bo just stared at her. 

“God damn it, you answer when I ask you something, Ping-pong.” She growled. 

“Yes.” 

“Good. Clothes here, shower is there. Come back to me when you’re done.” She then hobbled back to where she had been sitting by the entrance. Bo sighed in relief that she wasn’t going to watch her. She started the water and looked around. The locker room was old - only one way in and one way out. The windows were small and up high so no one from outside could look in. But there was no way for her to get out of one as well. She looked around the privacy wall and the woman was still there with the gun in her hand but she appeared to be logging Bo’s photo and card into an album with a bunch of others. They had dividers and everything. 

“Hurry up in there. Your water limit is almost up!” She called without looking up. Bo rushed back to the water and got undressed quickly. She grabbed the soap and scrubbed herself clean - she wasn’t going to pass up an opportunity to wash the dirt and blood from herself. She kept the water going as she got dressed - she didn’t want the woman coming in before she could hide her genitals. Surprisingly the new clothes were the right size - the woman must’ve seen her weight and just assumed the size she needed. She buttoning up her shirt when she woman stomped in and turned the water off. “The fuck - I said there was a limit.” She growled. She gave Bo a bag for her dirty clothes and ushered her out of the locker room and down the hall. As they walked a man stopped them. 

“Whoa! Molly hold up. Who is this?” He asked as he attempted to touch her hair. Bo jerked away and glared at him. He bit his lip and stared her down intensely. 

“New girl.” 

“No shit - who brought her in?” 

“Bud.” 

“Damn… Negan is gonna flip his shit when he sees her. Bud is set for two weeks.” He said. “Hey honey, you don’t take a liking to the boss man my name is Simon.” He said as he held out his hand. Bo looked down at the gesture before she met his gaze. “Don’t be rude. I don’t bite.” 

“Bo.” She said before she shook his hand. She knew her hands weren’t soft but they were softer than his and he reveled in the contact.

“Short and sweet - just like you. Y’know what - I’ll walk her in. Go on back to your… what ever the hell it is you do Molly.” Simon said. She just huffed and went back towards the locker rooms. “Come on. Walk with me. Talk with me.” He ushered Bo along. “You been out there on your own all this time?” 

“Is that so unbelievable?” Bo asked. 

“Uh yeah. It’s why I asked.” 

“No. I got separated from my group… again.” She explained. She wondered how far she was from Washington and if the others had made it somewhere safe. “Where am I? Your man Bud brought me here, mentions some guy named Negan and just drops me off.”

“Boss man will explain everything. He’s right in here.” Simon said as he knocked on the door in front of them. 

“Come in.” Upon getting permission Simon opened it and let her in ahead of him. Bo heard it shut behind her and stiffened. She suddenly felt trapped. Simon leaned against the door and the man in front of them turned around to see who had come to talk to him. He gave Bo a quizzical once over before he smiled. It unnerved her - his teeth were big and the expression seemed oddly menacing rather than welcoming. 

“Wow.” He said before he glanced at Simon. “I mean… really… wow.” 

“I know right?” Simon asked. 

“This your catch?” He asked as he circled Bo. She stepped away from her when he lingered behind her. 

“Nah, Bud got lucky.” Simon explained. 

“Can I go?” Bo asked - she was already tired of their leering. Plus she didn’t appreciate them talking about her like they were admiring a bottle of old wine. 

“No.” Simon said. “You’re gonna stay here and talk to the man. His people saved you. You at least owe him that much.” 

“They didn’t save me - they robbed me and then abducted me. I didn’t ask to be brought here.” 

“Look here—“

“Simon!” He raised his voice making them both jump. “Give us a minute will you?” Simon shut his mouth before he moved to leave. Before he left he snatched the bag of clothes from Bo’s hand and smirked when she attempted to get it back for a second. 

“I’ll get these washed for you.” Simon said before he shut the door. 

“Don’t worry - he really will wash those… after he beats off into them a couple of times.” He said. Bo made a face at him. “Where are my manners? I’m Negan.” He bowed slightly and she didn’t know if he was mocking the fact that she was Asian or if he was just trying to give her a false sense of security now that his buddy was gone. He then gestured to her like he wanted an introduction. 

“Bo—“ She was interrupted by a knock on the door. 

“God damn it what!? “Negan asked. Molly brought in the book from before with all the cards and pictures in it before scurrying off. He sighed as he flipped to a section marked ‘new arrivals’ and took out the card behind her picture. “Bo Casina? Hm… you’re a tall string bean - 5’9 and only 125 pounds.” He snapped the book shut and tossed it aside. “Simon is sprung on you. Probably gonna pass out with your panties over his face. He’s not gonna be fond of your little ‘secret’.” 

“Secret?” Bo asked. Negan leaned in close to her ear and whispered so not even the nosiest eavesdropper would hear him. 

“You’re not a woman.” He said matter of fact. 

“What?” She tried to laugh but he advanced on her until she was backed into a corner. 

“Don’t get me wrong, as far as traps go you are god damn fucking flawless. It took me a literal minute to notice but once I did…” He brought his hand up and nudged her Adam’s Apple with his knuckle. “Now see, either you’re really a tranny or you’re a lying sack of shit pretending to be a woman so people take care of you.” 

“I—“ Bo squeaked when he grabbed her neck firmly. He didn’t cut off her air but with a little more pressure she’d be turning blue.

“Don’t interrupt - it’s rude.” Negan growled. “So if you’re lying about what you are, that means you were lying about who you are just to get over on everyone you encounter.” 

“I have breasts!” She gasped as she clawed at his wrist. 

“What’s that got to do with the price of gas?” He asked. 

“If I were faking to get taken care of they’d be fake. They’re real! I’m really a tranny.” Negan looked down at them before he squeezed one with his free hand. He wasn’t expecting her to slap him but it made him let her go. “Don’t touch me!” She screamed. She rubbed her neck and tried to stay away from him as he touched his face where she smacked him. 

“Shit…” Negan sighed. He didn’t seem angry - she could read his expression but he gave her a look like he wouldn’t tolerate that again.

“Just don’t touch me.” She said. “My breasts are real, my hair is real, my hips are real because I’m a woman - or at least I wanted to be before they blew up the damn hospital.” They stood there in a silence for a few very long tense minutes as she caught her breath. 

“You still have a dick?” 

“Yes.” She answered - a little unsure of what to say. She couldn’t lie, he’d find out some way or another and kill her. But if she said yes he might just kill her for shits and giggles. He looked about as open minded as the older woman running the showers. If she weren’t so terrified she’d find her prejudice of them ironic but her track record with random men accepting what she was hadn’t been the best since the world ended. Daryl had taken nearly a year to get used to her and to some extent he probably still wasn’t used to it. Merle hated her after she had to reveal herself to keep from getting raped. Rick and Glenn had been less than understanding. The only man that accepted her completely was Shane. And that made her very sad. She didn’t realize she was crying until Negan handed her a rag to dry her face. He didn’t seem remorseful that he had caused this reaction in her. He just stood back and watched bemused as she tried to pull herself together. 

“Drop trou.” He demanded. 

“What?”

“I want to see it.” Negan said as he eyed her crotch.

“No!” She didn’t mean to scream at him but she was frustrated and scared. The last time she exposed herself she got beat up and ostracized from her group. Despite her disrespectful tone he seemed to accept her answer. 

“What do you do?” 

“About what?” 

“I meant in life.” Negan explained. “You cook, clean, macrame? What makes you useful?” 

“I…” She stammered for a moment. They had been on the road for so long she forgot how she used to help the group. She used to do laundry with Lori. Keep look out in one of the prison towers. “Hunting.” She said out loud. Negan tossed his head back and laughed. 

“Most hunting rifles are bigger than you. How in the fuck did you hunt?” He asked. 

“I was a spotter, I have good eye sight.” She explained. “There used to be a doctor in our group he taught me how to do basic stitches and he was a farmer so I know crops. I’m naturally fast on my feet so I used to go on runs and scavenge—“ 

“Okay, so you can do everything. Shit, I get it, you’re useful.” Negan interrupted. “And even if it’s only by half you’re still the first Asian woman I’ve seen since all this started. Fine ass aside you’re going to have to earn your keep around here. Soap, clothes, water, food and a place to sleep all costs and you’re already in debt to Bud and Simon and me.” 

“You?” 

“Yes, keeping your little secret is gonna cost you.” 

“Let me stop you right there. I’m not asking you to do that. I didn’t ask Simon to wash my clothes, I didn’t ask Bud to bring me here. You’re all doing those things on your own and acting like you’re doing me a favor. I didn’t need rescuing. I didn’t need a ride. I didn’t need a shower or new clothes. And I don’t need you to protect me. Tell who you want. Blast it from the roof tops, I don’t care who knows. They’ll also know we were in a room, alone for an extended period of time. Now, I’ve been truthful and cooperative and if you want to run your mouth about me having a dick go ahead. I’ll be sure to tell them how you wanted to see it and how you grabbed my tits.” Negan stared her down after her bold statement - seriously contemplating killing her for talking back. He glanced at where he had Lucille leaning near the door. “They’ll probably believe you, probably kill me but there will still be that seed of doubt I planted.” 

“You’ve got balls. Literally. Takes a real badass to challenge me.” Negan picked up a nearby bat and looked it over. He glanced at her neck again and noticed her long healed scar. “You’re a survivor. I can tell you won’t be dead weight or a liability. And I’m sick of watching sitcom reruns - might be interesting to watch you find your way here.” He reached to move her shirt aside so he could see her scar better but she stepped out of his reach. 

“No touching.”


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I hope everyone enjoys this new turn in Bo’s journey. Everything I tried to write where she stays with the original group came out stale so I had her meet another group midway through their story. Because this story has been getting so much love on this site here's a new chapter not found anywhere else at the moment! Enjoy :)

Negan had a large troop but he was looking to grow his ranks. Bo found that the men he already had were a disorganized mess but that wasn’t her problem. Since she talked up her skills Negan pretty much let her come and go as she pleased. She made herself at home in an empty stock room. It was a little cramped but it gave her a place to sleep at night without something or someone trying to crawl into her sleeping bag. She spent her days out in the surrounding area, trapping animals with the skills Daryl taught her. Every day she went a little further - carving her tattoo into a tree to find her way back. 

“Y’know its dangerous out here.” She jumped and looked around the tree trunk when she heard Negan. 

“Well luckily you’ve been following me for the past five days.” She commented. She noticed he had three other guys with him. He told them to scout ahead as he approached her slowly. 

“How do you know that?” He asked. 

“Your boots.” She said before she pointed to the prints he was leaving in dirt. “More than two guys are usually noisy which is why hunting parties usually split up in the woods. And the day before yesterday you walked right under the tree I was perched in. If I were that weird dude with the ‘W’ on his forehead you’d be dead right now.” 

“There are other people out here?” Negan asked - a little furious that they were so close to his compound without him knowing. 

“Yeah, not sure what they want but they’ve been scuttling about - I saw one collect a walker. There’s quite a few of them.” 

“You fight them?” 

“They never see me.” Bo said. “Speaking of which you should have guard posts out here. My former group was able to keep our prison for so long because we had look-out towers and hourly patrols.” 

“How’d you lose it then?” Negan asked. 

“The guy we were fighting with had a tank.” Bo shrugged like what she said wasn’t out of the ordinary. 

“You’ve had one hell of a time haven’t you? I’d have thought someone like you would’ve been taken out in the first wave.” 

“I’ve been lucky.” She said as she took out a note book and started writing in it. 

“Luck will only get you so far.” Negan said. They both looked up when a walker came stumbling through a nearby bush. He looked at her and she gestured like she didn’t care to kill it. Negan just smiled and twirled his bat as he snuck up behind the thing and caved in the back of it’s skull. 

“I agree with you.” Bo said once he was done working on his swing. They continued to walk and soon came upon a shack. She took out her map and marked it off. “I’m tired of being lucky - I want to live.”

“Kind of hard to do with these fucking things lurking about.” Negan said when he noticed another walker approaching them. 

“Anything in life can become manageable. You just need a plan. You just need to find a place for it.” 

———

Bo spent weeks writing things down. She wasn’t particularly close to Negan or anyone in his group but they had a common goal. Order, a return to civility. Humanity had taken a backseat to the walkers but like she said even they could be put in their place. She wouldn’t be able to find her friends by herself - she needed a base, she needed help with walkers and the ‘W’ gang. She soon found an old quarry that could be put to use. They blocked all the roads out and lured a large herd into the pit with a string of small fire crackers. Now that there were significantly less walkers in their area they could work on building their community. 

They found a lot of small groups, clinging to life in their ‘secured’ locations. Some people joined them - others opted to attack them. Bo always suggested that they retreat but she noticed Negan’s late night runs - how he’s come back with blood on his bat and all over his clothes. “Why are you hiding it from me?” 

“It’s none of your business what I do out there - especially when you don’t come with us. I know you don’t want to see it. But we offer those assholes a better life and they spit in our face - they gotta learn that’s not going to fly in our backyard.” Negan said as he pulled off his bloody clothes. She left his room when he started undoing his pants. It unnerved her how much he seemed to be enjoying killing people - not walkers, people. He egged them on until they tried him and he called it ‘defending himself’ when he beat them to a pulp.

Bo knew the toll this way of life took on the mind and body. She remembered how sick Daryl used to be when he had to kill anyone. Those people had left him no choice and he had to pull the trigger on them. He’d mope for days, hide it long enough until he could go hunting on his own. Even someone like Merle had a limit - he had some shred of a conscience. Negan had the smallest bit of his left. His tolerance held out for children and women - especially elderly women. He had seemingly no mercy for men of any age that challenged him. And he seemed to be bringing in other like minded men that egged his savage ways on. His new world order was quickly becoming ‘obey or die’.

Bo jumped when someone knocked on the door to her room. She opened it and Negan looked around her meager dwelling for a second before focusing on her. “I know you hate it but we told those people we have food, medicine and a safe place to sleep. What if they had followed us? Tried to take this place? You’re a good person… it’s going to get you killed.” He said in a placating tone - like he was trying to explain to a child why their goldfish died.

“I’ve made it this far.” She countered. 

“You’ve been out there, starving, scared and desperate - can you honestly tell me you never thought of taking someone else stuff by force so you could see another sunrise? How many times have you been attacked?” He asked as he reached to touch the scar on her neck. “It’s because people think they can take you. Cause you’re not willing to do what it takes to prove they can’t.” Bo leaned away from his touch and stepped back to grab something off her cot. 

“Y’know, all these notes I’ve been taking are for you.” She said. “Tips on security, a comprehensive map of a twenty mile radius. Full log of your people and what they bring in and what they contribute. I’d give it to you but that’s something a nice person would do.” 

“So what do you want for them?” Negan asked. “A nicer place? More food? Want me to ask our resident doc if he can give you a little ‘pole reduction’? What?” 

“How about some respect?” She asked. “I know when you sleep, what and when you eat, what tree you take a shit behind - how many times a day you do that. I could kill you or any number of your men because I’ve taken note of their schedules and habits. But since I’m so nice I’m willing to put my hard work to use for you instead of against you.” 

“And what if I just take it?” Negan asked. Bo shrugged and handed over the note book. He eyed her for a second before he opened it and started reading. 

“All my notes are in Tagalog.” 

“What the hell is that?” He asked - he was getting more and more frustrated by the minute. 

“My native language.” Bo answered with a shrug. 

“I thought you were Chinese.” Negan said as he lifted an eyebrow at her. She snatched her book back and prepared to slam the door in his face. “Okay, okay!” She stopped. “God damn, your last man must’ve just loved getting reamed by you— I’m sorry!” He said quickly when she started inching the door closed. “It’s my nature. I’ve been this way forever. I will try to keep it in check to give you… respect.” He said the word like it left a bad taste in his mouth. She just rolled her eyes. 

“Poor white man forced to tolerate other people.” She teased. “Relax Negan I’m not coming for your precious privileged masculinity. You want order, you want rules, you want civilization I’m willing to work with you to get it. But I’m not your lackey. I’m not one of your little fuck-wits fetching you silk scarves and cigars. And yes I do want a nicer room - something with a window.” 

“You got it, partner.” He extended his hand and she looked at it for a moment before she shook it. When he didn’t let go she knew he was going to ask a stupid question. He regular shit eating grin spread across his face and he flicked his tongue against his lips. “You know what hand I jerk off with? That in your notes?” 

“You’re ambidextrous.” Bo answered. “You swing with your right, use your left to eat, switch between to masturbate - your right is faster.” Negan’s eye brows went up like he was truly impressed. “Let me know when I can move into my new room.”

———

Being in Negan's inner circle meant being privy to all of the dirty shit he had going on. His higher ups didn’t appreciate her being brought into their boys club. Bud tried her patience by grabbing her ass and she slammed his face into the table as hard as she could. Negan made it clear they needed to get along so he made Bud get on all fours and act as her chair for the entirety of their meeting. 

“Son of a bitch.” He groaned when she put all her weight on him. 

“Look at it this way - now my butt is touching you.” Bo said as she bounced on him a little. 

“You should know better, Bud.” Negan said. “After today if so much as a hair is teased without her consent Bo has full authority to fuck your shit up in a big way. She’ll be a good 'girl' and y’all will be good boys and respect her.” 

“Kind of out-of-character for you to give power to one of your fuck toys, Negan.” Roman scoffed. Both Negan and Bo chuckled at his comment. 

“He thinks we’re fucking.” Negan said as he smiled at Bo. 

“That’s really funny.” She agreed that the notion was ridiculous. Negan patted Roman on the shoulder for his good joke. 

“No, Bo is not here cause she gargled my balls like the rest of you jackasses. She’s here because she is the smartest person in this room. And she is going to make sure we are going to do more than survive.” 

“How?” Simon asked as he looked her up and down. She winked at him before sliding a note book to everyone at the table. She dropped one to floor for Bud and he grunted as he adjusted his weight to one arm so he could open it. 

“Organization, boys. Instead of running around playing grab-ass you will now be in charge of your own groups. I’ve been watching you - how you act, when you pick your nose, where you stash shit you don’t want to share…” They all tensed - undoubtedly thinking of ways to kill her to keep their secret. 

“Don’t worry, she’s told me all about it and I’m not mad.” Negan said. 

“I also know who else is hiding stuff from you.” She turned to the door slightly. “You can come in now!” she called and soon the door opened. “Boys, this is Paula - she will also be part of our ranks now.” Paula sat down at the table and Bo gave her a notebook as well. “From now on each of you will be responsible for a group of subordinates. Congratulations - you’re now Negan’s top lieutenants.” They seemed happy about it until Roman cleared his throat. 

“What’s that make you?”

“Just call me, Major.” She answered. “If you feel as though you can’t my name will do. It’s Bo.” she reminded him. She then pulled her shirt open a little so they could see her scars. “The guy that did this to me won’t be forgetting it - or at least he wouldn’t if I hadn’t made him fucking worm food.” They all tensed again. “As more people come in your groups will grow but at the same time more subs will be promoted to this level. For now with the numbers we have I’ve made a list of men that will be best suited for your groups. You may get along with them you might not. If they start talking back - curb them. If they get out of line, make an example out of them.” 

“If they continue to give you shit - end it.” Negan said. “Understood?” They all nodded before turning back to Bo. 

“As far as supplies and recruiting - scavenging is wearing thin. We’ll have to open negotiations with some of the farming communities nearby. Sharing is not exactly human nature so should saying please not work you have permission to kick ass in the name of Negan.” She explained. 

“Kindly remind them of the way we trapped all those walkers in the quarry and remind them that those fuckers with the ‘W’ on their heads are still out there. If they still don’t want to play nice, kill their biggest baddest dude and then point out that they need our protection.” 

“Prison tactics?” Bo asked 

“As a last resort to using our words.” He said and smiled wide. 

“That aside we need guns, bullets, car, gas, and non-parishables—“ 

“Jesus, is that all?” Roman scoffed sarcastically. Bo just rolled her eyes before giving everyone a map and a walkie talkie. 

“The group I lost passed by a lot of places that were left because they were over run by walkers. The maps have these locations as well as abandoned houses, camps, military bases - you get it now right? Back then we didn’t have the numbers but if we keep growing we’ll be able to clear, secure and use these places as outposts. You find a place, you mark it on your map, you report in, we mark it on the big map and make a note.” Bo explained as she gestured to the large map tacked to the wall behind Negan.

“God damn, where did you come from little girl?” Simon asked - somewhat impressed by her strategic skills.

“I found her at a truck stop.” Bud said as he adjusted under her weight again. 

“I used to be the stage manager for a hundred-woman burlesque show. And before you think I was just counting titty-tassels and glitter thongs I was actually in charge of routines, light cues, costume changes, orchestra and advertising. And I had three of my own feature perfomances to choreograph. So if you know another bitch here that’s more suited to keep track of all your tight little white asses please point her out.” They all fell silent. “No? Oh good - now get out there and get to work!” 

“Yes ma’am.” Paula said as they all got up. She let Bud off the floor. They took their books, maps and walkies with them and closed the door behind them. She looked at Negan when he let out a odd sound between a purr and growl. He leaned back in his chair and stared at her. 

“Is it weird that the more you yell the harder I get?” Negan asked. “I mean, God damn if I’m not at full salute and throbbing that you just got all of them marching to same beat in twenty minutes.” 

“Are you sure it wasn’t the comment about titty tassels and thongs?” Bo asked. Negan nodded as he stood up and made his way over to her. 

“Y’know it’s not so crazy that we might—“

“I have a dick.” She reminded him. He immediately slumped like something had hit him in the gut. 

———

“I ain’t your damn secretary, Ping Pong.” Molly said as she dropped a binder on the table. Bo looked at her sharply. The older woman was wheezing and sweating. Bo knew she had end stage cancer but at the same time she had been a disrespectful hag ever since the day Bo met her. She was a racist piece of shit and in all honesty Bo was tired of her lackluster book keeping of new recruits. So she opened her notebook and started writing. 

“You know what - you’re right Molly. Instead of having a cushy, do-nothing position, indoors, making sure people have soap and clean underwear - I’m going to place you on low level retrieval with Roman’s group. Have fun outside in the fucking cold - digging through the pockets of corpses, bitch.” She said calmly - like she was telling Molly about a hobby. Molly hated her for the quick seat of power she solidified for herself. Apparently she had been with Negan since near the beginning and was still doing grunt work. Bo assumed Negan didn’t really want to deal with her and just put her somewhere he’d rarely see her. It seemed his attitude had rubbed off on Bo as she wanted the woman as far away from her as she could get her. And if some half frozen walker took a chunk out of her pasty fat ass then all the better. “Report to Roman in the morning.” Molly just walked away in a huff. 

“Not easy being Queen Bee, is it?” Simon asked on his way in her office. Bo scoffed before she got up to go over the map with him. 

“If I’m Queen of all these bitches then just behead me right now.” Bo said. “Dealing with all the drag queens and trannies in my show was easier.” 

“Your striptease had trannies?” Simon asked - his dark eyebrows going up. Bo skirted the issue when Mark came in. 

“Hey there, beautiful.” He smiled wide and held out his arms to hug her. She batted him away playfully. 

“Hey yourself.” Bo sighed. “If you’re buttering me up to bring me more bad news—“ 

“Not at all. Negan just told me about a batch of new recruits - described them as ‘lucky bean counters’ - I think they’d be perfect to help you out up here. Y’know so we can finally sleep in the same room at the same time.” 

“I’ve been there while you were asleep… you snore.” She smirked. “Wait, Negan knows ‘bean counters’ doesn’t mean hispanic, right?” She opened the binder Molly brought her and flipped to new arrivals. “Oh, he actually means nerds… good. Once they’re through processing send them up.” 

“You play good cop and I play bad?” Mark asked as he slipped his hand around her hip. She kissed him quickly before pressing her forehead to his. 

“Always go with the good game plan.” Bo agreed. Mark had come in shortly after her. He hadn’t given Negan’s rules any back talk but he wasn’t spineless like some of the other ‘men’ that came in. He was the first Asian man she had seen since the last time she saw Glenn. They naturally gravitated towards each other. Their romantic relationship had been slow despite how much he tried to go further. Truthfully Bo wasn’t ready to tell him what she was. It seemed the closer they got, the harder it got. She wasn’t ready to change the way he saw her. So she kept him satisfied with hand-jobs and put on a false face of shyness when it came to sex. Mark knew what Asian women were like and respected her boundaries. She let him sleep in her room and purposely gave him a different schedule from her so they rarely ended up in bed together. And when they were there together she made him sleep on top of the covers. 

“Not that I’m all up in your love life but you make that boy wait any longer he’ll be able to split a log with his boner.” Simon said once Mark had walked off. She looked at him sharply - she had completely forgotten that he was there. “Afraid of getting knocked up?” 

“No.” She said quickly. “Wish that was the problem.” 

“Jesus Christ on stilts!” Simon exclaimed. “Are you a virgin?” 

“Simon—

“How is that possible looking the way you do?”

“Shut up—

“Look don’t be afraid. He’s Asian and his dick is probably not that big - it won’t hurt much. Just bang it out a few times. You’ll love it.”

“Simon shut the fuck up! I’m not a goddamn virgin okay!” She snapped. He leaned against the table like he was settling in for an explanation. Honestly she didn’t owe him one but they had become friends and she liked talking to the odd man. The other lieutenants just seemed to tolerate her - Simon actually wanted to get along with her. “It’s just, my last serious relationship was rather… deep. Deeper than I ever wanted to admit to the guy. I knew he loved me too - we never needed to say it. We were together for so long and went through so much shit that losing him was more devastating than I realized. I know there’s a snowballs chance in hell that he’s still alive out there but I can’t shake this feeling of… doubt that I shouldn’t—“ 

“Can I stop you? I really have to piss and I know the solution so can we just skip ahead?” Simon asked. She glared at him. “Don’t hate me, hate my bladder.” 

“What’s the answer?” 

“Fuck Mark. If you feel nothing you can just tell him later but if you never fuck him and you let him go you’ll always wonder what could’ve been.” Simon said quickly before he trotted off to the nearest restroom. “You’ll wonder that while he’s fucking every hot chick in this place!” He called down the hall. 

“Son of a bitch.” Bo sighed. “That crazy cracker is right.” 

———

By the time Bo got help organizing everything and more people assigned to the new arrivals and the shower room she was hard pressed to find Mark. She saw members of his group every other day. There was evidence that he had been sleeping in her room - he never made the bed when he got up in the afternoon to go on patrol. She spotted him in the lunch line but she had been busy talking to Negan. When he saw what had distracted her he gave Mark a pointed look. “Y’know he’s using you, right?” 

“What?” Bo asked. 

“You’re too smart to not see it. It’s why you don’t trust him. Why you haven’t told him your little secret. You know he’s just using you for the high privileges you have. He’s totally fucking that girl - Laura.” 

“What do mean they’re fucking?” Bo asked. 

“I mean I saw them behind the third warehouse destroying each others genitals yesterday.” Negan said flatly. “Little asshole has only been here a few months and he already has a side bitch. Meanwhile I can’t even get my dick sucked by my second wife.” 

“You took another ‘wife’?” Bo asked a little agitated. He shrugged. “Look, do what you want with your dick or what ever but having these women sit around on feather pillows, dressed up and looking cute for nothing is a serious waste of resources.” 

“Go have your boyfriend pull in more shit. You’re not fucking him, he’s got plenty of free time.” Negan snapped. “And do you see how you cared more about supplies than you did the fact that asshole is screwing some bitch and then stinking up your sheets should say something about how you really feel about him? He’s not being trust worthy is he?” 

“No.” Bo said as she watched Mark sit down at a table with Arat and a few other soldiers. 

“You should make him—“ Negan looked over when he realized Bo had walked away.


End file.
